Gilded
by Mandy2
Summary: Sequel to Gilded Lily. Harry's world is just unfolding as he meets new people and discovers old secrets. He & his rival, Libby Black, are transported to another universe, & Harry gets to see what it would have been like if his parents had lived. 12 AU
1. And So Comes The Letter

Libby looked longingly across the metal counter

Libby looked longingly across the metal counter. There he was, walking in late as usual. His pretty older sister (with some odd resemblance to Libby herself) yelled like there was no tomorrow. Even though Libby agreed with Jen, that Jake shouldn't be late for work all the time, after all, he was "ASSISTANT MANAGER AND SON OF THE FOUNDER, OWNER, AND SISTER TO THE MANAGER THAT'S GOING TO KICK HIS A—YOU NEED TO SET AN EXAMPLE!!!"

Libby snapped out of it. Jake hadn't had a shave in a while, his t-shirt was clinging to his body with sweat, and his tight jeans were dirty. She continued to wipe the counter as the few customers in the Italian restaurant looked up to see Jen's speech.

"AND FURTHERMORE, JUST FOR REFERENCE, LITTLE BROTHER, YOU SHOULD COME IN LOOKING LIKE YOU HAD A BATH IN THE PAST NINE YEARS! HONESTLY. YOU DO NOT SEE LIBBY COMING IN HERE UNPOLISHED AND IMPOLITE! SHE IS THE PERFECT ASSISTANT MANAGER, AND IF YOU WEREN'T MY BROTHER AND MY FATHER'S SON, YOU WOULD BE OUT OF HERE SO FAST!!"

Taura lingered in. Libby groaned. If there was anything to make Jake pay attention (no matter how short the denim skirt or tightly-tied the restaurant's t-shirt was) it was Taura. Libby's cousin wore shirts, that, though appearing conservative, hugged every inch of her upper body, and skirts that barely could three inches of her thighs. Her legs were always flawlessly perfect and her shoes the most fashionable. Today was the purple ensemble. Pale purple princess-seam tank, light purple mini-skirt with white rick-a-rack pockets, lavender lace-knit knee highs (with a risqué violent purple garter belt holding them up) and bright purple velvet Mary Janes, with chunky soles. She had her tiny little lavender silk handbag, and a pair of cat-eye sunglasses with pastel purple plastic frames and three little rhinestones on each edge of the eyes.

Of course, when expecting family, Taura threw off the sunglasses, tossed away the handbag and instead of the garter-belt, short skirt and stockings, wore a pair of white velvet pants and a violent purple cardigan. Libby wished for that flexibility.

Taura was not really Libby's cousin. She was a saucy brown-haired vixen who thought she ruled the world. Her mother was some sort of teenage junkie in Tulsa when Taura was brought to the farm Libby and her huge family lived on. Her grandmother and aunts ruled with a firm hand. Libby's family was British, and every year after she started training to be a witch, except this year and the year before last, she had spent at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The summer before last she had spent in Paris with (groan) Taura, and this year she was living at the farm in California. She, Taura, Devon (her cousin Orion's girlfriend) and Orion would make the drive up to the city so Taura could shop, Devon could work at the American Ministry office, and Orion could do his job down at Venice Beach. Libby had her job at the restaurant. 

Taura sat on one of the swingy stools in front of the plastic-covered counter, and tried to order a drink.

"No can do, Taura. You're underage." Libby said, waggling her index finger teasingly.

"Not if I buy it." Jake said, coming along and wiping out a glass. He had cleaned himself up fairly quickly.

"FIRST OF ALL, MISTER, YOU ARE ALREADY IN TROUBLE, BUYING DRINKS ON THE JOB IS AGAINST OUR POLICY! SECOND, YOU ARE UNDERAGE AS WELL! SEVENTEEN AND YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO RUN THE FAMILY BUSINESS!!!" Jen shouted.

Taura laughed with her horribly fake French accent and Libby poured her a Coke.

"So, have they kicked you out yet?" Taura asked, seemingly nice.

Taura made horribly stupid mistakes. Normally, Libby would have pinned her to the bar. But, today she was working, and plus, she could get Taura back in a much better way.

Jake grinned at her, he had always tried to control Libby's temper. He knew she would get Taura back, but not in the way Taura would expect.

"Entertain her a bit, okay, Jake?" Libby asked as she skipped off to her tiny little cubby in the back of the employees' lounge. It was really Jen's too large office, but Jen was generous.

Libby dialed a quick number. "Aunt Gemini? Yes, it's Liberty. No, no, no.. I'm not fired. Actually, there's an emergency with Taura. She's at the Hy-Top Diner at Venice Beach. Just thought I should tell you. Yes, Aunt Gemini.. Of course. You'll be right here? Good."

Once Jake saw Libby hang up the phone, he stopped flirting with Taura. "Kicked out of what?"

Libby controlled her strong urge to kick Taura right there and now. She rushed over, grabbed one of Taura's curling-iron curls (if there was something Libby had that Taura didn't, it was natural curls) and hissed in her ear, "We're in the Muggle world, remember?"

Taura nearly shrieked, realizing her stupidity. But Jake came over and both girls played it cool.

"Again, Libby, kicked out of what?" He asked as he refilled Taura's Coke.

"The, er, boarding school that Taura and I attend. Uh, I'm not the best of girls, you see." Libby stuttered unconvincingly. Jake raised his eyebrows, but bought the excuse. Libby rested her fist on one of Taura's long nails.

"DAMMIT! I BROKE A NAIL!!!" She screamed, but had no time to grumble. The ever-familiar gasp of Grandma Ida was enough.

"DISHONORABLE! NEVER, EVER, EVER HAS THERE EVER BEEN A FEMALE IN THIS FAMILY THAT WORE THAT MUCH AS AN _OUTFIT_!" Grandma Ida grabbed Taura by the ear, and threw her very old-fashioned and musty floor-length coat. "TAURA MARY JANE BLACK. I WAS BEING NICE. YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE LIBERTY'S ROOM ALL TO YOURSELF, BUT NOW, YOU'RE SLEEPING IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM WITH THE DOG- YES, THE ONE THAT IS OLDER THAN YOU ARE AND SMELLS WORSE. WHAT IS WITH THE PERFUME?"

Liberty giggled from her point at the counter, very quietly. If she blew her cover now, she might have to go back to the farm.. What would she rather do? Hmm.. Stare at Jake all afternoon, pretend to be nice to old customers, or go home, see Taura get punished, get her room back aaand get to practice Quidditch.

Liberty giggled louder.

Orion was laughing his head off at Liberty's, er, melodramatic reenactment of Grandma Ida's speech.

"THAT SKIRT IS A HANDKERCHIEF!! IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING WE WOULD STUFF IN OUR BODICES TO MAKE THEM LOOK MORE FULL!!! YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME I SAW SOMETHING THAT SMALL BEING WORN BY ANYBODY, WE WERE MAKING THE BAPTISM CAP FOR THAT LITTLE KID DOWN THE ROAD!!!"

Devon laughed. Her boyfriend's cousin was rather funny. Liberty looked in disgust at her broom.

"How on earth do I expect to get to the World Cup on this old Shooting Star. Did you know Harry Potter has a _Firebolt_? That is so not fair." Liberty began to ramble, but Orion shot her a look. "Fine, fine.. I will not talk about the spoiled brat. He's not that bad, I know, but how can he not remember Lily and James beyond their last words and simple photos? Dad told the greatest stories of their days, and I remember Lily so well.."

Devon looked in surprise at the girl in front of her. Liberty would resemble anybody, but the Potters? Wasn't she the pride of the Black family?

"Devon, I am a Black to the bone. Lily used to baby-sit me and James taught Harry and me to fly on toy broomsticks before we could walk. My mother was a victim of the Death Eaters, under the command of You-Know-Who. My father was wrongly accused of Dark Arts activity and now I live here." Liberty explained in a monotone voice, rolling her eyes once or twice.

"DINNER!!!" Grandma Ida called. The three walked across the open field, tired and hungry, hoping that Grandma Ida would do a sort of replay of her lecture earlier.

Libby took her serving and headed up to the very top of the Black farmhouse. It was to the flat roof, where she had her assortments of treats, magazines, and sleeping gear. Dinner was always late at the Black home, and it was nice to go up and eat under the stars. She switched on a light, scooped some of the spaghetti in her mouth and began to read her latest book.

Almost the instant she finished her food (and her book), Devon came stomping up. Libby liked her cousin's girlfriend- She was really nice. But Devon was unhappy, and held a silver envelope with a sparkly blue ink, reading Libby's full name (though she loved her name, Liberty Nadia Gemini Jacqueline Bella Black was very long and annoying).

She was expelled.


	2. Waiting On The Other End

**A/N: This originally was supposed to be the first chapter, but I felt that there had to be something else there.. Something else waiting for Libby on the other end.**

Liberty slouched as she dragged herself up the stairs. Devon Bradshaw, her cousin Orion's girlfriend, had just brought her the second official letter of expulsion she had received from Beauxbatons in three years. Devon had been nice about it, reminding her that surely the Academy would take her back, but Liberty knew she was just being nice because she had to. Orion was very protective of her, and Taura, no doubt, would be up to remind her that she was hardly Black family material. Orion had never been in trouble in his life if he wasn't so into Quidditch.. He even followed all the laws! And Taura (Liberty groaned to think of the saucy brunette who thought she was God's gift to mankind) was such a goody-goody, and would be useful for about squat. Liberty was more Black family material than the both of them put together. She was the only one who still played pranks, got good grades though she didn't study, could orate insult speeches better than Lily Evans could, she could commentate on the best Quidditch games (even the rare moves and fouls the Ministries never published, she knew their every detail) and honestly, her dad wouldn't be mad, would he?

  Taura came in, slamming the door behind her. "Well, well, well.. If it isn't the black sheep of the Black family. When will you ever grow up, Libby? It's time you started looking for a hus.." 

  Before Taura could say the forbidden word, she was flat on her back, with a bit of black shoe polish tartly smeared into her face.

  "You think because you are possibly the most perfect thing anyone has ever heard of, that you are somehow worthy enough to order me around? You are nothing but an _adopted_ piece of crap that we picked out from the bottom of the orphan pile. So before you judge me for not being up to the family standards, remind yourself that your mother was some teenage junkie from Tulsa." Liberty snapped.

  Taura opened her mouth to retaliate about Liberty's own mother, but shoe polish filled her mouth. "You are not going to get away with this!"

  "Taura, Taura, Taura.. You are so naive! I am exactly what the family wants. I meet our family's standards. You meet your own. Perfection is not an art- It is a death wish. No one will believe that I smeared shoe polish on your face if it took every single truth potion there was. And before you get on the touchy subject of my mother, do be reminded that I have won a life-supply of shoe polish, in every shade, every brand, every formula. Tell me how it tastes when you're throwing up your lunch again." Liberty said softly, pushing Taura out of her room and slamming the door. "And don't you dare tell my dad what happened! And, of all people, you have no right to call me Libby."

  It was already too late, for a flamingo, a very bright (obviously Charmed) flamingo, was struggling to fit through her window. Liberty recognized the stationary- The ones that had sketches of a stag, a wolf, a dog and a crossed-out-with-lipstick (her dad was dating again, apparently) mouse. Liberty looked about the room, soaking in it's fabric-covered walls, the silver and gold fixtures and the perfection of it all- The perfection Liberty lacked and the perfection that had lost the life of so many people.

**Dear Liberty-**

**  Another school? Or, should I say, you got kicked out**

**of Beauxbatons again? Let's see.. First we sent you to**

**Durmstrang, then it was Beauxbatons, then the American**

**school, then Beauxbatons forgave you, and now you are**

**nearing your fifth year and you have nowhere to go? I**

**am sure that I can convince Albus to let you in this**

**late. I know for a fact that there are only three**

**girls in the Gryffindor fifth year.. I know you're**

**going to be a Gryffindor- They let you try on the**

**school hat long ago. Obey Minerva and don't pester**

**Severus so much. And whatever you do- Do not hurt the**

**Slytherins- This is the last time of ever to need a**

**lawsuit! Be a good girl and pack quickly- You have**

**your books and Remus will take you on the school**

**friend- And don't approach Harry about me.. He thinks**

**he's the only person I am supposed to look after. And-**

**last and not least- Don't mess with the boys' heads**

**over there at Hogwarts- They're not exactly used to**

**your type.**

**          _Dad_**__

   Libby looked at the letter in front of her. Her dad was sending her to Hogwarts?! Two years of Magical

Charm School, one year perfect for Quidditch and dueling and one liberal year and she was being sent to

Hogwarts? It was practically her second home, but.. Hogwarts? Fine. She would be able to do her thesis on the

Ravenclaw/Potter/Gryffindor thing.. It would be easier to get the information firsthand. History of Magic,

Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration were her best subjects. 

  Liberty wasn't an American, but before she was old enough to be in magic schools, she had lived there

during the school year. All her summers were spent at Hogwarts. She had apparently picked up an American

accent. Severus Snape, especially most recently, was like a second-uncle, as was Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore.

Minerva McGonagall was the motherly figure and her childhood friends were house elves. Liberty was a trouble-maker in her own right, much like her father, and there were a few things she picked up from all the different schools.

  Viktor Krum had taught her how to play Quidditch when he was in fourth year. Besides that, all Libby picked up from Durmstrang was the art of dueling. In Beauxbatons, she had learned for two years how to deceive and charm people, as well as magic. They were strict and got her into a secretive studying habit. 

  Her favorite new skill was magical photography. She learned it in America, when she had been failing Arithmancy, and that summer she hadn't gone to Hogwarts to make up for it. She took some amazing pictures.

  Liberty had always been a loner. Her cousin Taura was at Beauxbatons, and that was helpful to test some different shades of shoe polish, (they spent their Christmas and Easter holidays in Paris). Her sporty cousin Orion lived in America, where he had let her take pictures in Manhattan, and now (finally) she would be returning home. The rest of her family lived somewhere in the middle of nowhere, to be precise, a farm in Northern California.

  Her hair and eyes were symbols of her family- Dark and sleek hair falling to her waist, and her eyes deep-set and deep blue. Her skin glowed white- She was like a Veela with black hair. In fact, her mother had been a Veela. Her father had loved France ever since his best friend Lily's first engagement party in Paris. France was prominent for its immigrant Veelas.

  She was tall, and knew she would be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team- (being trained by Viktor Krum was a VERY good ticket in), and if not, she would certainly replace that Lee fellow who was commentating. Her father had been the greatest

Quidditch commentator of all time.

  Her trunk for Hogwarts was rather unattractive- Better than those of Durmstrang, less colorful than those of the American school (it was called the American Academy) and less elegant than those of Beauxbatons. Black was such a plain color.

  Her mother's small fortune paid for all of her side things- clothes, food, board. But her father paid for all of her school needs.. It was a rather boring life. He had a fortune of his own, but he hated to use it. He didn't believe in raising his daughter by society like his best friend Lily and his other best friend James had been (Remus had told all the disgusting details), but he allowed her to go to the benefits that she begged to go to- Alone.

  Liberty hid her Marauder Force 3000 at the bottom of the trunk- Products similar to Muggle electronics, but

perfect for monitoring pranks in magical areas. Walkie-talkies, headsets and speakers, monitors, tiny cameras, ear pieces.. The whole nine yards. She was sure that those Weasleys couldn't even pass her up.

  This Harry Potter person may have been famous, but he was the last little bug in her way for a good relationship with her father. As far as Liberty was concerned, he was a dead man walking.

   Reggie Ravenclaw sat thinking, which was not uncommon. Here she was, going back to Hogwarts after a year at the orphanage. She was an orphan like Harry Potter, but the fact that her relatives were dead didn't exactly pull through to her fellow fifth-years, as Harry's orphanhood was highly more publicized.

  Reggie was really Regina, but the little children (who were her only joys at the orphanage) always

called her Reggie. That formed into Reggie as she departed to Hogwarts, and now she had her own room at

the orphanage because the matron didn't want anyone intruding in on her when she was studying. She had her

own desk, day bed, lamp, phone and nightstand, an owl cage, a closet, a rug, a bookshelf- Besides that and

her Hogwarts trunk, her room was pretty bare.

   She shook her head violently, shaking out her frizzy black hair that fell to her shoulders. She could be pretty, in the words of Roger Davies, "I bet that one cleans up nice." But she didn't really bother. Her eyes were blue-gray, they would have been plain, except, according to Dumbledore, that one of her ancestors always had a twinkle in his eye. Her complexion wasn't ruddy, she had a golden-light-brown sort of skin that glowed in the morning. The trouble wasn't she never tried, she just didn't have the resources. Yeah, sure, she was a Galleonare, but what would that mean to a hair stylist in Los Angeles? Plus, her clothes, though not ugly, were plain and starched stiff. Stuff like dull plaids and faded pastels. Sweater sets, plain pants and pleated skirts. Not to mention the ankle socks and black-and-white oxfords.

   Dumbledore had insisted the family fortune (she later discovered that one of her millions of

great-grandmothers was a founder of Hogwarts) would pay for everything, and she ended up in the Ravenclaw

house. Her worst subject would have to be Transfiguration. Reggie could never know why studying

didn't help, it just didn't.

  Divination was still helpful every now and then. The Gryffindors all had their really good subjects, and

this year, every single mandatory subject except Herbology was with the Ravenclaws. They were going to like that,

Reggie knew. The Gryffindors were normally stuck with the Slytherins. Unfortunately, the Slytherins would

have the Hufflepuffs to tease. If only the Ravenclaws had been stuck with the Slytherins- They would have

nothing really to make fun of. But Potions would be horrible because Snape hated the Hufflepuffs more than

he hated the Gryffindors. And then, for electives, as usual, Arithmancy was Gryffindors/Ravenclaws, Care of Magical Creatures was Ravenclaws/Slytherins, and her last class, Divination, was Ravenclaws/Hufflepuffs.

  See? She was thinking. She was doing research on magic students that, because of their parents' jobs,

had to travel a whole lot. There was one girl whose father had legal troubles and whose mother was dead,

and she had been kicked out of Durmstrang once, Beauxbatons twice, and she had moved from the American

Academy because her father had wanted her back in Europe, they were both British. Her mother was a French

Veela, and she had relatives everywhere she had schooled except for Durmstrang. But even then, she had

spent her summers at Hogwarts.  

  Reggie would have loved to be able to play Quidditch, but she had no possible way to practice,

and she wasn't too good to begin with. The girl she had been researching was trained fresh in her first

year by Viktor Krum, and the Americans had taught her Quidditch well. She also knew their sport, Quod, and

was an excellent photographer.

  This year she would be going to Hogwarts. She sounded less like a Ravenclaw (though she was smart)

and more like a Gryffindor- But she would be useful for help in Transfiguration. And, she was also doing

part of her seventh year theses (she sure studied like a Ravenclaw) on the Ravenclaw family, so Reggie had

something to exchange for help.

  Maybe there was more to life than studying and avoiding Professor Snape, but Reggie was yet to find

it.

   Arabella Figg looked up from the letter she had received from Gemini Black, one of the sisters of her Hogwarts schoolmate, Sirius Black. He was on the run now, but his little girl needed a home to stay at during Christmas. The Blacks had moved to America and France, at least the rest of them. Sirius's little girl needed a home, now that she was finally back, schooling in England, at the finest of the finest.

  Arabella was particularly excited. She hadn't seen Sirius's daughter since her first birthday celebrated at her dear friend Lily's house. It was rather amusing, actually. Her birthday had been in August, and little Harry's in July, the two had been what James had called, Marauders To The Bone, and finally, finally, she was home.

  Arabella quickly scratched her reply and tripped over her dead husband's stupid cats again. She hadn't had a need for magic ever since she had broken her leg four years before, and she peeped out the window. There he was, her best friend's son, weeding for the evil Dursleys. If Lily had seen this, she would have been so angry. But, Lily would also point out two nice things about it. Firstly, he was not growing up in the creepy mansion he would have been forced to, recognizing house elves as his parents, and secondly, at least Arabella was there to watch him.

   Harry Potter groaned. Normally he would have been happy to stay at home while his aunt went to the market. But Dudley and his gang were home, trying out their new Smeltings sticks. And plus, Uncle Vernon was on vacation, he had broken his leg tripping over one of Dudley's presents. So, better be able to follow his aunt with his arm full of packages then stay at home with grumpy Uncle Vernon and troublemaking Dudley.

   His aunt led him through the market, adding a parcel every now and then. Harry swore he had seen Mrs. Figg walking five feet ahead of them with a girl, black-haired with a medium build. But now, there was just a pretty woman (thirty-seven, perhaps) that looked like Fleur Delacour would have, except much older, and the same girl was following her. 

   Reggie had been assigned to a new wizarding bachelor this year, one that would take her to her vault on August 31st and help her shop, then put her on the train the next day. She had her trunk packed, and she was going to help the matron of the orphanage shop for some cheaper, molding apples, when there came a great knock at the door.

  "Regina, darling, you have a visitor." The matron called with her best motherly tone. Most likely it was a man in a suit, exactly one that the matron would try to suck up to for "tips".

  Reggie stood up tall and came down the stairs. Her jaw dropped when she saw her former D.A.DA professor, Mr. Lupin.

  "P-p-professor! How lovely it is.." She trailed off, remembering he was a werewolf. But, she spying on Hermione Granger's private notes, knew he wasn't dangerous.

    "Regina, you may call me Remus. Everyone does." He said quietly. He looked definitely like his suit had been stored in a cage of mothballs. It was a musty, yet welcoming smell, as all of Regina's clothes were plain and starched stiff.

   "I believe we have quite a journey to make. London is a bit far away from Little Whinging, isn't it?"

    Liberty knew she was not, in Taura's standards, being good. But, nonetheless, she slipped the expensive dress robes that she had secretly bought and the matching dress into the trunk of the girl with Mrs. Figg's old friend. She looked so plain, but Liberty knew she could look better. Especially with the dress. It was midnight blue velvet trimmed with silver silk, and the dress robes were silver silk with blue velvet trim. Liberty smiled. "When you can't pay it back, pay it forward."

   She recited this rule as she slipped more in. A little handbag that was silver silk, a pair of midnight blue heels, perfect.

   Reggie stared at the friend of Professor Lupin. The girl that was with ("Uh, er, uh.. Mrs. Figg.") Mrs. Figg was quite a mysterious one. Reggie looked about the busy street and swore she spotted the Weasleys and Harry Potter, but she couldn't prove her point very well, she had to get her new Arithmancy book.

  Harry and Ron wandered down Diagon Alley, looking for cheap pick-me-ups. Harry saw Professor Lupin, or Remus, as he insisted, and made his way over.

  There was the part-Veela woman he had seen at the market just a week before, standing in front of Florean's, with the girl he saw. He couldn't get a good look at her, but she looked familiar.. Very familiar.

  _"Parle vous Francae?"_ Asked a girl at the station. She was entering Harry Potter's compartment (where

Ginny, Lee, Fred, George, and, unbeknownst to anyone else, Regina Ravenclaw. Hermione and Regina were the

only ones who spoke French fluently.) and Harry and Ron gave her a strange look. Ron spoke up first.

  "Do you go to Beauxbatons?" He asked slowly, as if the language barrier made her slow.

_  "Oui, oh, er, no."_ She replied, somewhat confused.

  Harry took it into his responsibility to help. "You are French, right?"

   Hermione and Regina giggled. Ron glared and began again when the girl shook her head. "Do YOU go to

BEAUXBATONS?" He asked slowly and loudly, treating her as if she was stupid.

  _"No."_ She said flatly. Unknown to Ron, no in English is the same as Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

  He repeated his question, slower and louder. Hermione and Regina continued to giggle. 

  "_No." _She repeated flatly, toying with one of her wavy black locks.

  "DO YOU GO TO BEAUXBATONS?!?!" He asked, yelling at her slowly.

  "No is the same in English, French, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, you bloody idiot." She said in a

British accent. Hermione giggled, but remembered her manners.

  "My name is Hermione." She said, sticking out her hand. The girl shook it.

  "My name is Liberty. I am not from Beauxbatons, but I've been kicked out twice." She said, studying her

surroundings with wide eyes. "I've been to Hogwarts before, but never by the train. It's nice."

  "Kicked out?" Hermione whispered in an aghast voice. Fred and George snickered.

  "Yes, and Durmstrang. However, I left the American Academy on my own terms." She said as if talking about

the weather.

  "You've been to Hogwarts, have you?" Lee asked, ignoring the fact that she had been expelled three

times.

  "Every summer except after my third year." She said quickly. "And this year. I spent it in Paris with my

cousin Taura." She winced at the name.

  "Ah, Paris!" Hermione said dreamily.

  "Do you know what house you'll be in?" Ginny asked politely. Ron was still glowering over her French

trick.

  "Gryffindor. Definitely. All my family's been." Reggie's eyes grew wide.

  "I've read about you!" Reggie said, staring pointedly at her.

  "Who's that?" Harry asked, not noticing before.

  "Reggie Ravenclaw, from Ravenclaw. She's in my Arithmancy class." Hermione said. "Who is she,

Reggie?"

  "Liberty. She's been-" Reggie began, but Ron sputtered, interrupting her.

  "You look a lot like this Quidditch player from America." He began, but then realized he was spilling a secret. "That Quidditch player in the American league? He's from New York, but he's on a Massachusetts team." 

  "Yeah, that's my cousin Orion." Liberty said quickly. "He and Viktor Krum taught me to play. Orion also taught me Quod."

  "Viktor Krum, Hermione's boyfriend, taught you Quidditch?!" Lee burst. "He's the most amazing Seeker

of all time!"

  "Just like my father was the best commentator of all time!" Liberty burst, mocking Lee's excited tone.

  "I'm your father?" Lee asked with a very odd tone. Liberty laughed uncomfortably. 

   "No, no, no.. The commentator S. Black."

  "Three prominent Quidditch figures in your life? Lucky..." Lee whispered. Harry, Hermione and Ron

looked worried. Liberty realized she slipped up.. But maybe they would think that since Black was such a common last name-

  "So, Reggie.. You actually related to Rowena Ravenclaw?" She began coolly. Reggie nodded.

  "GREAT! My seventh year thesis involves the Ravenclaw family! Do you know a little about your

family history?" Liberty asked excitedly.

  George looked up from the parchment in front of him. "You've already started on your seventh year thesis? I

haven't even started on mine, and I'm in seventh year!"

  "The elective I'm using needs a lot more time for research." She said. "History of Magic."

  Fred groaned. "Eww.. History of Magic."

  "It's easy if you know how to do research." Liberty said. "I could help you two with your thesis."

  "We get good marks, we just don't look like we study. If we look like we care now, then what good will our six years of earning a reputation be worth?" Lee asked innocently. She giggled.

  "Fine, but if you haven't even picked a topic.." She began, but Hermione interrupted.

  "You've started on your theses? I have no idea what to do for mine!"

  "Knowing your rep, any paper on Animagi would be good for you." Liberty said quickly.

  "How do you know about me?" Hermione asked, her eye full of suspicion.

  "Fleur told me before I got kicked out." She said, finding a seat to prop herself up on.

  "I'm going to like you." Reggie and Hermione said to Liberty at the same time.

  Ron and Harry exchanged worried looks.

_    Gryffindor, he knew the way_

_    To protect the weak!_

_    Hufflepuff, she worked and toiled_

_    Yet still she turned out meek._

_    Slytherin, he got his way_

_    No matter what it took._

_    Ravenclaw, she studied and inspected_

_    Every research nook._

_   These four wizards (and witches!) left their brains_

_   Inside of me._

_  What house you will belong in?_

_  Put me on and see._

_  Great wizards have come from all.._

_  Great in their own way._

_  So put me on!_

  But do be scared- 

_  This is your judgment day._

  Liberty yawned. The sorting hat had done much better before- She knew him on a personal basis. This was

going to be easy.

   _Alright, Libby, I know you're bored.. Studying isn't your first instinct, just a habit.. The pranks won't_

_get you too far in Slytherin, knowing you would play them on your fellow house members.. You're too smart_

_for Hufflepuff.. You knew what house you would be in anyway, so, what the hay? GRYFFINDOR._

  Liberty neither looked proud or displeased with herself, she knew she was going to end up there.

  Hermione was annoying Ron and Harry by going on and on about how wonderful it was that she could start her

theses. They would snort and nod every now and then, but they were distracted.

  "Should we mention her?" Ron mouthed. "Sirius said we could always ask for help.."

  "But this isn't help." Harry hissed. "This is his personal life. Plus, Black is a common last name, we don't know what Sirius did for a living, and why bother to ask."

  "How were we supposed to know about his family?"

  "We didn't bother to ask, did we? She sounds like a troublemaker.. Snape is going to hate her."

   _"Parle vous Francae, Monsieur Sevvy?"_ Chimed a voice at the back of the room. Snape was looking up

and about to growl, when he saw Liberty's smirking face.

  "Which one was it this time, Libby?" He asked in an exasperated tone, looking back down at his book.

  "WHAT? Can't anyone think that I just wanted to go to the finest magic school in the world and return at

last to my homeland?" She asked, still keeping up the British accent.

  He raised his eyebrows. She muttered about Trelawney's teachings actually working, avoiding the eyes of the rest of the class.

  "Beauxbatons." She muttered finally, breaking the silence and making Ron glare. ("I knew she knew French!")

  "Again!?" Snape asked with surprise. "What did you do?" Hermione gasped. ("Again?")

  "WHAT? Can't anyone think that I just wanted to go to the finest magic-" She began, but he raised his

eyebrows. "I blew up one of Madame Maxime's shoes and it hit Marie Bubaline in the eye and she was stuck

in the hospital wing for a week. I also dipped Fleur Delacour's curls in ink, added a little extra tequila

to the horses' mix, put shoe polish in the escargot, and then there's the graffiti on the back of the

carriage-" She said rather quickly, but Snape put his hand up to stop her.

  "Couldn't you last for more than a year?"

  "No."

  "Get back to work, Libby.. And don't give any of my students any new ideas- Especially the Weasleys." He said, shaking his head. He asked in a lower, more excited tone. "Did you really put shoe polish in the escargot?"

  "IT WAS FANTASTIC! Madame Maxime took the honorary first bite and the black junk oozed out of her mouth

and lasted on her teeth for a week, even with all the Charms she put on them. She eventually called a dentist, who capped all her teeth. He was two feet tall, so he had to stand on a ladder.." She began excitedly, but, as if for the first time, she noticed her audience.

  "I'll tell you about it later.." She whispered, returning to the Potions book in front of her.

  "What potions were you taught?" Professor Snape asked coolly, as if there had been no conversation with Libby at all.

  "I can do Fred Weasley's homework, Professor." She chirped. "This Truth Potion is sooo easy."

   "I am not liking this girl, not liking her at all." Ron hissed to Hermione.

  "You didn't like _me_ either in our first year, and I was _just_ like that." She hissed back. Harry stifled a laugh.

    "And, Professor- I'd rather these slow Brits figure out who I am the hard way." Libby added softly. Harry stared at her openly. "Maybe then they'll understand my pain."


	3. The Gilded Elite Form Again

"Fascinating, huh

"Fascinating, huh?" Hermione asked Harry as they walked out of class. She slung her bag over her shoulder.

"What?" Harry asked dumbly, still staring after Liberty as they walked out of Potions.

"The impossibility of love potions?" Hermione pushed, apparently beating around the bush.

"Hermione, spill it." Ron snapped with an air of impatience. "That Liberty girl has got my nerves worked up. The nerve of Snape, pairing me with HER! She did all her work without letting me take a peep!"

"Yeah, yeah.. Love potions.. Fascinating.." Harry muttered, distracted.

"And the eggs come from what animal?" Hermione asked with a sly smile.

"Ashwinders. I actually had to pay attention to Snape to find that out." Ron pouted.

"Ashwinders- Lay eggs.. Fascinating.." Harry said again.. With the looks of a headache and a dream happening at the same time.

"Ashwinders- Aren't those the things that made your summer miserable Harry? Because of the Floo powder in the fire, the Ashwinders laid eggs in your fire and they were bursting out all over your house? The Dursleys nearly killed you AND made you pay the bill for the exterminator- Not only to get him to do the job but to keep him quiet?" Hermione whispered as they walked past the Slytherins, not being serious at all.

"Miserable.. Floo... Killed.. Exterminator.. Ashwinders.. Fascinating..." Harry ranted.

"What about that wonderful lecture by Snape on the importance of Floo powder not being used in Muggle fires?" Hermione asked, and Ron looked at Harry and Hermione like they were from Mars.

"Wonderful lecture by Snape.. Important for Floo to be used in Muggle fires.." Harry whispered as they reached their Charms class.

"As fascinating as Liberty Black's hair?" Hermione pondered mockingly, and Ron caught on.

"Harry's nursing a crush!" He sputtered as they entered the class.

"On whom?" Parvati Patil snapped, angered that someone dared to make moves on one of her dates, no matter how over that 'situation' might have been.

"No- no- no- nobody.." Harry stuttered. "It's not a crush! Just a research project on a certain lost member of my immediate family.. Looking for relatives to stay with, Parvati.."

Harry shot glares at Ron after this. In the rows below, Liberty Black giggled in her seat.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked as he sat down next to Harry in the Common Room, playing chess with Neville. ("It's the only way I'll win, Ron.")

"Off having an intellectual conversation with Libby." Harry muttered as he moved his king. "Check."

Ron went to the corner where Hermione and Libby were sitting. Libby was moving her hands animatedly, and Ron leaned in closer to the back of their sofa to hear better. Libby was saying, "My dad has this secret stash of cheese puffs, but it's not really secret because my cousins know about it, my aunts know about it, my uncles know about it, I know about it, and my junk-food-hating grandmother certainly knows about it, because I've caught her with orange junk on the ends of her fingers."

Hermione looked confused. "And the moral of that story was?"

Libby groaned. "You Disney people. Always need a moral to change something!"

Ron was mouthing behind their sofa, "What in bloody hell is going on?"

"I'm afraid you have us mistaken, Liberty Black! Disney people we're not! Warner Brothers, maybe!" Hermione mockingly sputtered in fake shock.

Reggie worked vigorously on her project. Her seventh year theses had to be brilliant- She wanted to be the head of the Ministry of Magic's Hall of Records- Not only would there be more amazing facts about her country, she would leave the orphanage forever.

Hermione and Libby would be here any moment. Libby would be a great help, but, oddly enough, she also was the focus of one section. Or rather, someone with her name..

Her thoughts were interrupted by a crash caused by two boys, one with black hair, one with red, and another boy. This one was Seamus Finnigan. He looked up from the book he was reading, (standing, of course) to observe the crash, but Reggie caught his eye.

Reggie didn't know him personally, but Libby was always talking to him about Quidditch.

"Hi. Are you in Gryffindor?" He asked, closing his book.

"No, I'm a Ravenclaw. Why do you ask?" Reggie wondered aloud, closing all her notes in her book. She did not want a Gryffindor close to Libby to find out about the research information.

"Sorry, I've just seen you in a lot of my classes.. Fifth year too?" Seamus asked, taking a seat next to her, despite Reggie's silent protests.

"Yes.. Why?" Reggie asked, uneasy.

"Sorry, I think you look nice. And Ravenclaw usually means personality AND brains. You've met the three needs of Seamus Finnigan." He said cockily. Reggie knew he was joking, but he was starting to get on her nerves.. If Libby and Hermione to walk in, what would they think?

"Two questions- Do you always refer to yourself in the third person, and are you always this annoying?" She asked as she went back to her Potions assignment.

"One answer, one question- Only around a girl I like, and will you help me out with our Potions homework?" He asked, trying to make her look up. He failed.

"I'm busy waiting on somebody for my seventh year theses. Would you mind getting lost?" She gave him a cold stare.

"In your eyes? I already have." Seamus said with sincerity, something Reggie thought he wasn't used to.

"That line was so stupid Malfoy would use it. If you don't mind, and even if you do, I have some studying to do.. So.. Until you grow up, I don't have time for your immature antics." She said coolly, finishing her Potions essay in record time.

"Fine, fine.. But you'll be seeing me again, Reggie.." He said as suavely as he could, taking his book and leaving.

"What are we doing here, Ron?"

"I have suspicions about that Liberty girl, and, apparently, so does Reggie. I sent Liberty on a wild goose chase so that Reggie will spill to Hermione what she suspects. Harry, even you wouldn't have thought of that."

"You are so paranoid, Ron.."

"Shh! Here she comes!"

Sure enough, Hermione slid into the seat Seamus had just occupied. "Libby couldn't make it. Family emergency."

"That's kind of good, because, look at this.. I didn't take a good look at it, but Liberty was mentioned." Reggie said, and slowly, three books slid out from the bookshelf behind them.

Harry and Ron peeped through the gap in the books as Hermione read aloud from the Daily Prophet back-issues to Reggie.

"Sirius and Nadia Black have miraculously bore two healthy half-Veelas. Why so amazing? One of them is a boy. It is a well-known fact that male Veelas are very rare, reducing the numbers of pure Veelas everywhere. James Godric Black was born four hours before his sister, half-Veela Liberty Isabella Black on this lovely Friday the 13th, October 1980..."

Reggie gasped loudly after Hermione trailed off. The noise covered up Ron's small gasp behind the bookshelves.

"Calm down, Reg. First of all, Black is a common last name. Second, Libby's name is Liberty Nadia Gemini Jacqueline Bella Black, her initials are L.N.G.J.B.B. Sirius's daughter's initials are L.I.B. Third, Libby was born on Halloween, 1980, that's over two weeks after Sirius's daughter was born. Plus, wouldn't there be a twin with Libby? Huh?" Hermione said, calmly and rationally as always.

Reggie stopped hyperventilating for a moment to notice another issue of the Daily Prophet. "Both mother and child died on this dreary Halloween morning and the private services are to be held in Godric's Hollow. Nadia Black, wife to Sirius Black and mother to both the child that died (James Godric Black, b. just eighteen days prior to today) and his twin, Liberty Isabella Black, was one of the last pure Veelas left in France. Her son was one of the last males ever to have Veela blood, historians prove. Mr. Black is moving his daughter to beautiful northern California in the United States while he finishes up his wife's estate. Everything of hers, she being the last survivor of the great Bourbon Veela massacre, will go to her infant daughter. Eulogies by Lily Evans-Potter, James Potter and Remus Lupin are among the many to be at the funeral."

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Hermione said loudly as Harry whispered the exact same thing to Ron. Ron and Reggie still had their suspicions, but the four left quietly and separately. Reggie and Hermione never knew the other two were there. 


	4. And... So?

Neither did they realize that Libby was there too Paul Hodgson Normal Paul Hodgson 16 143 2001-09-16T01:43:00Z 2001-10-29T12:00:00Z 7 2872 16376 CelestialSoft 136 32 20110 9.2720 Print 75 

A/N: Ya'll have to check out the Gilded Lily.. I pointed out two spots that should be familiar to the Gilded Lily readers, and if you read it, you will understand better.

   Neither did they realize that Libby was there too. Her eyes filled with tears and she was ready to rip anything and everything to shreds. But who was she going to confide in? Taura? Whatever. Orion? He would be pissed and demand she come home. Devon would easily spill. And what about Jake or Jen? Right.. They were Muggles.

  Finally, it hit her. "Dad." She whispered.

  Flocks of Hogwarts students exited the grounds to descend upon Hogsmeade, and Liberty Black was no exception. Excepting the fact that instead of going to Zonko's or Rosmerta's or Honeydukes, she went to the edge of the town to be able to use her laptop (A/N: They did have laptops in 1995, just not very advanced ones).

   Tapping away at the keys, she logged onto the Internet via the phone booth nearby. (A/N: Any of you who are Gilded Lily fans will remember that Sirius used this booth in Chapter 37.) Locating www.bmomphonebook.com, Libby typed in several aliases. 

   **SIRIUS BLACK NO MATCHES**

**   S. BLACK NO MATCHES**

**   P. S. BLACK NO MATCHES**

  Remembering a story that Arabella had told her, she typed in 'William Sidworth'. (A/N: Chapter 40, Gilded Lily fans.)

   _William Sidworth is a single bachelor uncle of three- Harold, Libby and Reggie. Home: 3201 Via Ventura Drive, PH, British Ministry of Magic Province 42: Muggle alias: San Donte. William Sidworth is currently working as a: Waiter at Tim's, Records File Assistant at BMOM Province 42 office and Special Advisor to Headmaster of Hogwarts._

  Scrolling down, Libby typed in her address: 8974 Oakwood Way, British Ministry of Magic Province 16: Muggle alias: Hogsmeade, and requested broom directions. Next Friday, there would be a trip to Ministry of Magic Province 42.

  _Dear Dad,_

_  No, it's not what you think- Snape hasn't given me any trouble, and, on the whole, I've been a good girl. I have a couple of new friends here at Hogwarts.. Dean, Parvati- The whole fifth year crew minus Ron and Harry.. They're merely acquaintances. However, Harry's cousin is also a close friend of mine....._

  "How do Ministry of Magic Provinces work, Ms. Ravenclaw?" Professor Binns asked as Ron continued to sleep with his eyes open.

  "The Ministry buys abandoned sites and places Muggle-Repelling Charms on them, as well as boundaries for magical activity, controlling how far magic will go. They then fix up these abandoned sites and make them into small villages for Squibs and other magical people, even though creatures can only inhabit Hogsmeade, creatures such as hags. They place a number and a Muggle alias on these sites and sell homes to the wizarding public." Reggie answered automatically. "This is how much of the pureblooded community can easily avoid Muggles."

  "Excellent, Ms. Ravenclaw. Twenty points to your house." Professor Binns declared. "Ms. Black, please proceed to tell us how big these sites can be."

  "Yes, Professor. Sites can be as big as a small city and as small as a platform or a pub, for example, the Leaky Cauldron and Platform 9 ¾ . Some houses, like that belonging to my _friend_ Ron Weasley, is set on a site that is pretty much out of sight of Muggles. Some other houses, like manors belonging to rich pureblooded families, as Reggie said, allow pureblooded families to keep to themselves. However, my godmother lives in the Muggle world, so it isn't a requirement, just a safe option." Libby replied.

  "Well put, Ms. Black! Ten points to Gryffindor!" Professor Binns raved. "Now, returning to the subject of magical inhabitation.."

  Hermione shoved her elbow into Ron's stomach. "Doesn't Sirius live in one of those?"

  Harry nodded. "Number 42. He says we're going to visit him soon, as well as a cousin of mine."

  "If you had a cousin, then why didn't you live with family other than the Dursleys?" Hermione hissed.

  "Because, he says she's an orphan." Harry replied. "Plus, she doesn't know we're related."

  Hermione nodded. Ron suddenly burst out, without the least care (reminder, he has just woken up): "Percy.. Don't wanna go to Pen' lope's house! It gives off the nastiest stench!" 

  Libby sniggered. "Mr. Weasley, do you have something you want to share with the class?" Professor Binns asked sternly.

  "No, sir." Ron said, turning green.

  "Well, then, let's continue." He requested. "If that's alright with you."

   "Of course, sir." Ron muttered, sinking into his seat.

   "Shut up, Weasley." Libby snapped at Ron, who had just sworn at her.

  "Why do you have to be so god damn annoying?" He demanded.

  "Because I'm American. Don't I fit the profile?" She retorted, walking off.

  "That girl!" Ron muttered, shaking his fist in her direction.

    An owl flew into the corridors on their way to Charms and dropped a letter at Harry's feet.

  "Dear Mister Potter, We regret to inform you that it is your civil duty is to come to the Ministry's courthouse in Diagon Alley as both a witness and a suspect in the murder case of Cedric Diggory, as well as prosecution for possible criminal activity with Sirius Black and/or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You will be called up for cross-examination in MOM Province 42 on your next Hogsmeade weekend. Thank you for your time, you have until December 17th to find a lawyer. Sincerely..."

  Seamus Finnigan was the only one who spoke. "You? A suspect in the murder of Cedric Diggory? Maybe Malfoy, but you?"

  Nobody else could speak. They were all huddled around Harry, their jaws gracing the floor.

  Libby sighed heavily as she walked into Hogsmeade that Thursday night. She had already set up a Transfigured teddy bear that was Charmed to say three things she would say if she was sick and delirious. Hermione had just left her with Ron and Reggie. They said Harry was talking to Dumbledore.

  Not that she cared, of course. Harry Potter was.. A bug. A bug. That was it. He didn't know the truth, but he certainly thought he did. He was just so.. Annoying..

  Harry returned to the Three Broomsticks very late. Ron and Hermione had given up on being polite and left Harry a message that they had gone back to the castle with Reggie. Harry pulled his jacket tighter as he sat down on the back steps of Madam Rosmerta's connecting inn. There wasn't much to think about, McGonagall, Snape and Flitwick had been very easy on them, considering Voldemort's rising. Beyond Harry's upcoming prosecution, there was little on his mind but whether Sirius would take him in or not, or whether Libby's mysterious past was connected at all with his. The thoughts wandered around in his head and he took a swig of his butterbeer.

  Meanwhile, Libby stood ten feet away in a dark alley, her mind and her heart wrestling over the subject that had been haunting her for a while. She made her decision and pulled her backpack closer to her back. She stepped out of the darkness and caught Harry by surprise.

  "Fudge not yet off your case?" She asked in a friendly, cheery tone as she sat down next to Harry, not at all expressing her mad desire to interrogate him immediately. "Same with me. Something about 'as if we didn't have enough trouble with both you and the magical French/British friendship! And with your American accent you're not helping the Americans either!'"

  Harry stared at her blankly.

  "The whole Madame Maxime thing? And the whole France-is-too-snooty-to-admit-when-they-needed-your-help thing is kind of stupid, but I can't say much, my mother was French. However, they didn't get too much in the way during the Triwizard Tournament problems." She reminded him. He nodded. "Lucky Fudge is having to go through elections in November. He won't get my vote."

  "How do you know about my problems last year with the Mini.. Oh, did Fleur tell you?" Harry asked, unaware that his assumption was incorrect.

  "Something like that." Libby said with a smile. Light poured out onto the back steps. Both Gryffindors were unaware Madam Rosmerta was cleaning out a glass in the doorway, listening to their conversation. "I'm staying at Magnolia Crescent while I'm living in England, at least for Easter and Christmas holidays. Isn't that close to where you live?"

  Harry nodded with obvious amazement. "Who near Privet Drive is anywhere as 'abnormal' as me?"

  "Old Mrs. Figg. She's an old friend of my godmother, godfather and my dad."

  "Mrs. Figg is a witch?" Harry sputtered. Libby nodded enthusiastically.

  "She gave up the practice years ago, after she made herself look really old. She's a half-Veela like me. Both she and her husband were on the Quidditch team together back when my dad was in school here. Her husband was murdered by Death Eaters the night before Halloween in 1981." Libby said, very Hermione-like.

  "My parents were murdered on Halloween in 1981." Harry whispered. There was a moment of silence and then he quickly changed the subject. "I heard you have a huge family. My godfather does too."

  "Yeah, I live with my cousins (all nineteen of them) my nine aunts and uncles, we survived the era of You-Know-Who, the whole lot of us on my father's side, and my grandmother is really strict and my grandfather still runs his Potions Engr-E-Dients farm as smoothly as ever." Libby said as if she had explained this a million times.

 "What about your mum's side?" Harry asked, again unaware that his assumption was incorrect.

  "Dead."

  There was a pause. "Sorry."

  "You didn't kill her, did you?" Libby said, choking back a short sob, but when Harry tried to check, there was not so much as a tear in her eyes.

  "Wish my mum's side was dead." Harry said with a chuckle. Libby echoed in his laugh.

  "Yeah, Mrs. Figg said they're all a bunch of conservative nutters. Personally, anybody who is wider than they are tall is a little suspicious-sounding to me." Libby said, making Harry laugh again. She changed the subject smoothly. "I just wrote to my dad about Hogwarts." 

  As Libby unwrapped a Chocolate Frog, Harry's thoughts landed on her mysterious past. He responded quickly. "What did you tell him?"

  "I told him about Seamus, Dean, Parvati, Lavender, Hermione and Reggie." She said with a mouthful of chocolate. "You collect the cards, don't you?"

  He nodded and she handed him the card. (A/N: Harry's brain in bold: **Agrippa! Ron's going to love this!**) "Why them?"

  Libby gave him a clearly sarcastic, questioning look. "Because some certain redhead Gryffindor fifth year won't let me hang around with _you_. I don't know, because maybe they're some of the first people I met and I'm rather attached to them?"

  "Sorry." Harry said, rolling his eyes. "How exactly do you know everybody? I see you very little, but never romping around with Hermione or Dean or Parvati for that matter."

  "Just because you're wrapped up in beating Ron at chess (which, dear, will _never_ happen), doesn't mean you're completely paying attention to the world. The world isn't all chess, you know. I meet Hermione and Reggie at the library when everyone else has Divination, as well as three times a week; Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesdays, Seamus, Dean and I go out to the Lake, or, depending on the weather, chose a spot in the Common Room to discuss Quidditch. It's not like I'm on the team or anything, but I still like Quidditch. I am, of course, junior champion of the Quintuplet Schools of Magic Quidditch Tournament, MVP of the Academy's team. Then, while Hermione and Reggie have Arithmancy, Parvati and Lavender meet me in the Entrance Hall and we discuss the latest Muggle/Magic fashion merges, as well as a few more interesting topics, like where Parvati vacationed this past summer, or how Lavender's lambs are doing."

  Libby had been counting off her fingers, and Harry had hardly expected a speech. "What else did you tell him?"

  "Well, Dad's familiar with Hermione and Reggie, so I told him about the rest. Seamus is very passionate and fiercely loyal to anyone who gains his trust, Dean wants to draw and paint portraits like the Fat Lady, portraits that move, Parvati travels all over, and Lavender lives on a farm with her grandparents and cousins like I do, except her family isn't magical and the farm isn't for some magic corporation."

  Harry had known these people for nearly five years and Libby had known them for nearly two months, yet Libby knew more about those four people than he did. Madam Rosmerta chuckled very quietly, and went away so the two could have what she called 'puppy love privacy'. How wrong adults can be.

  "They might send you to the M.R.C.F.J.D.B. Otherwise known as the Magical Rehabilitation Center for Juvenile Delinquents, Britain. They'll send you there in the summer if you're found guilty. As long as you get your own bathroom/bedroom suite, you'll be fine. The kids there know if you're being sent there for a reason, or if you're being sent there for being on Fudge's bad girl/boy list. They don't mess with you much if it's the second reason, but they'll screw you over three times before you get out if you're really guilty. It's like a sort of mini-Azkaban where the Dementors are your fellow human beings."

  "Do you know who my godfather is?" Harry asked slyly, choppily changing the subject.

  "Er, uh, no.." Libby lied, hoping he hadn't figured her out.

  "Well, he's getting this two-story apartment in some MOM Province with these Muggle-Repelling Charms, and that's where I might stay during my trial."

  Libby discovered there was a way to trap Harry in his own game. "Don't you need a permit for living in MOM Provinces? Why would your godfather need to?"

  Harry half-lied, happy that Libby didn't know that Remus Lupin was a friend of Sirius Black, or so he assumed. "He just can't afford to pay the rent in Muggle spaces, but it's a really nice place. Plus, his friend, a werewolf, is submitting the application."

  "Oh." Libby replied quietly, the idea first hitting her that maybe, just maybe, she'd have a home, a family home not overrun with cousins and screaming grandmothers.

  "My godfather had twins, one of them a girl named Liberty Isabella Black. At first I thought you were her, but remembered your name was Liberty Nadia Gemini Jacqueline Bella Black. Not only that, but Black is a common last name. But more and more, you are like her. She had blue eyes like yours. She was a half-Veela like you. Her mother and her mother's side are all dead. And you know what, Libby? You say you live on a farm in California? Well, until a correction was made at the Durmstrang Institute four years ago, Liberty Isabella Black was living in the same part of California. Since then, Liberty Isabella Black was no more. And, what's even crazier_, _you two were even born within two weeks of each other at the same hospital.There are a whole lot of coincidences right there, isn't there?" Harry asked, realizing as he went along that this girl was practically his godfather's daughter, his voice dripping with accusations and suspicion more and more as he continued.

  "What you stupidly imply, _Mister Potter_, is that I am the same L.I. Black that disappeared four years ago, and you imply incorrectly. L.I. Black is dead, let's face that. I am Liberty Nadia Gemini Jacqueline Bella Black, named after what my father stood for, my mother, my aunt, my father's best friend, my godmother's best friend and here comes my surname. Beyond that, I am nothing but the truth. Here's a tip, _Mister Potter_, before you start to go all Nancy Drew and try to solve a mystery, have a mystery to solve." She snapped huffily. "Excuse me, I have to go.. Somewhere.."

  Harry watched her leave and had a very horrible feeling that he was right about Libby Black, and he knew there was only one way to prove it.

  Libby stomped off, making her grand exit out into the cold, and taking off. For 3201 Via Ventura Drive.

  Harry shook his head as he slowly dragged his feet toward the Common Room. He expected to see Libby there, sulking in her usual spot by the fire. Sitting down in his new usual spot, near Libby, between Ron and Hermione, he realized that she wasn't there.

  "She didn't come in.. Said she was a little sick and might take a walk.." Ron muttered. "Thank God."

   Harry groaned and went to go owl Sirius that he would need a place to stay.

  The next morning, Hermione came down to breakfast to announce that Libby wasn't feeling well. A magnificent phoenix flew in, dropped a letter in front of Harry and then burst into flames.

  "I suppose Hedwig might have gotten ill." Hermione concluded, picking up the letter. She gasped. The four symbols on the Marauders' Map were ALL over this sheet of paper. Harry snatched it from her.

  "Dear Harry, I suppose you could stay at my place, there's a Floo connection near the Potions machine. Just say into the fireplace: Sparkling Waters Apartments. You'll be there.. Oh, and a young female friend of mine, about your age, is taking care of my apartment this weekend, I have business to handle. So, if you don't mind, be good to her. She's a bit, high-maintenance. She'll greet you, she's in my penthouse. Love, Uncle William." Harry whispered, covering up the letter as a Slytherin third year passed.

  "Uncle William?" Ron asked, raising his eyebrows.

  "He probably knew that I would read it to you at breakfast." Harry explained.

  "Have you told Dumbledore yet?" Hermione asked.

  Before Harry could answer, a little fourth year Ravenclaw squeaked. "Mister Potter? Dumbledore requests your presence in his office. The password is 'Bertie's Botts.' "

  Libby looked around the apartment. It was bright, it was colorful, it was Jackie. Whoever the hell Jackie was. There was a picture of her, Lily, Arabella, James, Remus, Munguldus, Rafe, Helen, Ronan, Jenny, and Missy in the living room, and a picture of her dancing with Libby's dad in a red dress in Paris. Trouble was, all these pictures were when she was young. Libby found her room instantly.

  Personally, Libby liked Jackie's taste. There were two white, sleek futon couches in Libby's room, one with shiny orange covering, and one with sparkly zebra covering. Between the two was a coffee table with a cute orange telephone and there were a couple of bright throw pillows on the floor. There were hanging plants, and vases, and this four-painting set of square color/black images of a kitty. There was a furry dresser and an inflatable chair and a beaded curtain over the window, funky lamps and a ceiling light, a mirror and two rugs- A fluffy mint green one, and a foot rug. Literally, it was a magenta, foot-shaped rug. There were books and high heels and purses all scattered about, and her umbrella was sitting somewhere.

  It looked like it belonged to her.

  There was a note attached to the throw pillow sitting at her feet.

  "Dear Libby, Harry's being prosecuted this weekend in this province, so he's coming to stay. Don't scare him, he doesn't know about you yet. If anyone asks, you two are the niece and nephew of William Sidworth, and he has taken your cousin Regina out to another province for some better temporary medical care. Be a dear, darling.. Love, Dad."

  Libby rolled her eyes and headed for the living room. It's walls were bronze-colored, and there were different cushions of shiny, mismatched leather on skinny metal frames, as well as a whole bunch of animal-print pillows and rugs. Under the television (custom-fitted with an animal-print frame, were books of all kinds, and the flower-shaped end tables held lamps, vases and weird parts of the pretty bottle collection her mother had had. There were two small frames of funky pictures and one large one with a landscape that were made up of bright blue plastic and faux fur. Closing the windows, Libby felt at home already.


	5. Meanwhile, At Hogwarts

  "Regina.." Somebody purred. Reggie whirled around, not surprised to see Seamus Finnigan leaning on the bookcase. She looked him over.

  "Yes?" She sounded tired, he noted. She was tapping her French-manicured nails on her denim-clad hip, and her other arm was clutching two or three books. She glared at him over the frames of her black cat-eye lenses. "Is there something you need besides Prozac, Finnigan?"

  Seamus laughed heartily. "You're funny, you know that?"

  Reggie rolled her eyes. "Yes, I have learned that you know how to say my name and recognize sarcasm. If you have no other skills you want to show off for me, I would recommend you leaving me alone or I'll..."

  "What will you do, Reg? What will you do?" Seamus asked in a dangerously serious voice. Reggie backed away.

  "Just leave me alone, Finnigan." Reggie muttered, trying to turn around. He grabbed her by the wrist, making her spin back around and drop her books.

  "Someday you'll see me, Reg. Someday." Seamus pulled her in. Reggie winced. He was going to kiss her.. On the lips.

  He gave her a sweet peck on the cheek before letting go of her gently and walking off.

   Reggie sighed heavily as she picked up her books and slid into a chair.

  "You can't stalk her forever, Seamus." Dean muttered to him, hitting him over the back of his head.

  "I know, I know.." Seamus shook his head, the droplets of sweat in his wet, dark auburn hair splashing everyone.

  "Who's Seamus stalking?" Ron asked, moving his queen and wiping off the sweat.

  "Just some Ravenclaw girl that he's fallen madly in love with." Dean replied. Hermione, Parvati and Lavender looked up.

  "You don't mean Regina Ravenclaw, do you?" Parvati asked snootily, before she and Lavender burst into giggles.

  "Reggie? Seamus, you've fallen for Reggie?" Hermione was shocked, shushing the two Gryffindor girls.

  "Yeah.. What about her?" Seamus got up, even though Dean tried to hold him back.

  Parvati smiled at him in her half-bitch, half-seductive way. She flipped around her sparkly gold quill. "Regina Ravenclaw isn't in your league, Seamus. She's beneath you."

  Seamus looked down on Parvati Patil. At one point, he had actually had a crush on her. But now, she was just so disgustingly.. He glanced at Lavender, one of his best friends. They had dated for a while. A mistake. He knew that she was so much more genuine than Parvati would ever be, and she was just hiding behind Parvati, Miss Popular. Lavender's eyes were big and sort of sad.

  "Well, Lav?" Seamus turned to her, tossing the Quaffle back and forth. He had earned the Keeper spot on the Quidditch team.

  Lavender looked away for a moment, about to open her mouth to chorus Parvati's lie. But she looked up at him. 

  Lavender made the mistake of looking into Seamus's intense, dark gray eyes. And now, he was sort of glaring at her, trying to get an answer.

  Lavender never quite got over Seamus- He was funny and so cool. And he was easily the best looking of the fifth year boys. Parvati wanted him so badly. Right now, he wore the practice t-shirt Lavender had gotten him for the Christmas before they had broken up- It was light gray and it had his surname on the back, like the Muggle players. She put, 'Finnigan, 11', in fire-engine red, his hair color at the time. Besides that and a pair of dark gray slacks, that was all he wore. His arm muscles were well-defined, and he was still tossing the Quaffle back and forth. His wet hair was now a brownish color, and his dark eyes..

  Lavender swallowed the lump in her throat, finally moving her point of focus from Seamus's gray flannel-covered abs to his eyes. "Actually, Parvati, I think Reggie would be great on Seamus's arm. They'd make a great couple."

  Parvati gasped, shocked. She stood up in a huff. "Well, Lavender, I'm sure your synapses are misfiring. No way would a _Ravenclaw_ descendant be better with Seamus than _me_. You _always_ said Seamus would look good with me."

  "Well, Parvati, I'll tell you the truth. I was lying out of my ass. Go get her, Seamus." Lavender smiled confidently at Seamus, happy to see a grin slowly making its way across his face. Her eyes didn't share the same smile- They were full of pain. But Seamus didn't notice. He was grinning like a lovesick idiot.

  "To think, Lav. That used to be you he was lovesick for." She muttered to herself as she closed her Divination magazine and went upstairs. Nobody noticed, except for Parvati, who kept going on about how her best friend was losing it and betrayal and stuff like that.

  "Reggie! Reggie! Oh, oh, oh, Reggie!!!" Hermione called, waving her arm above her head.

  "Look, Crabbe. Goyle. Mudbloods of a feather fly together." Malfoy drawled.

  "Oh, shove it, you insecure sociopath." Reggie snapped. "I have been messed with by you pureblood male chauvinist pigs one too many times today!"

  Malfoy looked taken aback.

  "And for your information, you will notice that I am the pure heir of Rowena Ravenclaw. What does that make you? Slytherin scum beneath my feet. I wouldn't even waste my words on you if I wasn't already so pissed off I didn't give a damn. As for your intelligence and Quidditch skills, I pass you so much it isn't even funny. It's sick. I was raised in a Muggle world and I know a thousand times more than you about your own culture--.." Hermione had to drag a screaming Reggie away.

  "Nice pick, Finnigan. I totally support you banging her. Maybe it'll get her to shut up." Malfoy muttered as he passed Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron in the hallway. "If she didn't hate me so much, I'd go for her myself."

  "Glad I have your approval, Malfoy." Seamus drawled in reply.

  "You don't. Since when have you dressed like a Muggle jock, Finnigan?" Malfoy retorted.

  "Since somebody gave me something decent to practice in. But, considering you never practice, and it shows on the Quidditch field, you wouldn't know what it was like to get your good clothes all sweaty. Tell me, Malfoy, have you ever sweated in your life? Excluding the times you've been screwing all the good little Slytherin sluts." Seamus replied, walking off.

  "You'll pay for this, Finnigan!" Malfoy shook his fist in the directions of the four Gryffindor boys.

  "Whatever, Malfoy!" Seamus shouted over his shoulder.

  "What do you want, 'Mione? I've had a hard day." Reggie told her exasperatedly, sitting down in the library chair in a huff.

  "I can tell. You went Professor McGonagall on Malfoy back there." Hermione chuckled a bit, pulling up a chair next to Regina. "It's about Seamus Finnigan."

  Reggie groaned and rolled her eyes. "What about him? He was the reason my day was so bad."

  "He's completely and utterly head over heels." Hermione gushed. "He made Parvati Patil so irritated, she started yelling her head off. It was classic!"

  "Head over heels? With whom? A Hufflepuff?" Reggie flipped open her book.

  Hermione laughed really, really hard.

  "No, silly. You." Hermione stopped laughing, flashing Reggie a smile.

  Reggie's jaw dropped.

  "Can't you see it? I thought a Ravenclaw would be less blind to this!" Hermione giggled. "He can't resist you."

  "Are you kidding me? All he does is tease me about how I'm driving him crazy and how I'm absolutely perfect for him and.. Oh my Merlin's beard!" Reggie gasped.

  "It took you this long to see it?" Hermione started giggling insanely. "Regina Ravenclaw, Seamus Finnigan is completely and utterly in love with you."

  Reggie reacted the only way she could. She stood up, looking a bit sick.

  "I don't feel too hot, 'Mione." She muttered before fainting into her chair.

  "Hermione, what happened?" Seamus demanded, rushing over to Reggie's chair. He was on his knees, looking at her worriedly.

  "I don't know.. We were talking, and I said.. Er, something. And she got up, looking like she was going to hurl, then she said she didn't feel too good and then she fainted!" Hermione looked at him worriedly. "Sorry?"

  "It's not your fault, 'Mione, I'm sure. What did you say?" Seamus looked from her to Reggie. Ron, Neville and Dean stood back.

  "Um.. Nothing. I mean.. Seamus, are your ears burning?" Hermione asked.

  "No, that curse Malfoy tried to pull on me was warded off." Seamus shrugged. "Why?"

  "Do you remember the Muggle superstition that if someone's talking about you behind your back, your ears will burn?" Hermione asked slowly, looking guiltily at the floor.

  "You didn't." Seamus said in a dangerously quiet voice. "Did you?"

  Hermione nodded slowly.

  "Oh my Merlin's beard..." Seamus muttered, getting up and pacing around the small section of library.

  "Ms. Granger! Do tell your group to be quiet!" Madam Pince roared.

  "Oh, dear.." Seamus murmured, looking quite sick himself.

  "Seamus?" Dean asked wearily. "You don't look too good."

  At that very moment, Seamus Finnigan did something completely unexpected. He fainted on the floor next to Regina Ravenclaw's chair.


	6. A Peek Beyond

  "You're kidding."

  "No." Libby tapped her French-manicured nails on her black-leather-clad hip.

  Harry looked at her with a sneer.

  "I live here, Potter. In fact, _I'm_ the one letting you crash here. But if you dare cross me, I will turn you into the slimy snake you are and feed you to the Slytherins." Libby drawled lazily. "Goo' night."

  "Honestly, they're going out now!" I exclaimed to my friends with a smile. I twirled a lock of my fiery red hair around my finger.

  "Well, we have to split, Gin." Amber told me, grabbing my other two friends and walking off to Divination.

  I shrugged and reached for another lime lollipop from my khaki book bag. I was supposed to spend a detention in the Astronomy tower during my free period for talking during History of Magic.

   The instant I walked into the Astronomy tower, Professor Sinstra yanked the lollipop out of my mouth. She's pretty cool, you know? She's the youngest teacher of all.

  "You'll get it back at the end of your detention, Ms. Weasley." She told me, shaking the lollipop at me. I rolled my eyes.

  "Okay, Professor." I uncrossed my arms and removed my work robes. Knowing Professor Sinstra, who normally handled my detentions, detention would be like study hall in the Astronomy tower.

  "Mr. Malfoy, this is the person that will be serving your detention with you."

  Malfoy? Where was that name familiar? The boys must have talked about him more than once at the dinner table. Was it positive? Was it negative? Hmm.

  Undoubtedly he knew who I was. I saw over the shoulder of Professor Sinstra that he was scowling. But I stepped out from behind her, and his jaw did a momentary drop.

  I shrugged. Maybe it hadn't quite gotten around to him that I had developed.

  Not too much. I was still small, petite, my mum says. And I still had fiery red hair. But my skin is actually working with the whole red hair thing. I suppose it's because I don't look so pasty. But the roundness that shot out helped, too.

  It wasn't a great change, really. It was just one that had been hidden by years of hand-me-down robes. Now that I sort of fit them better, the change is more—Noticeable.

  I kept my lips closed and sort of floated over to one corner of the room to read my book. Great Gatsby. Deathly boring, but fairly interesting on the whole.

  "Weasley, why didn't the news of you growing up ever reach my ears?" Malfoy managed to drawl after several moments. I rolled my eyes. His voice was quiet, and almost gently flirtatious if there wasn't such sarcasm in it. Hey, it was some sort of decent pick-up line.

  "Sorry, I didn't realize you wanted a subscription to the Patil Daily Dish." I sneered back.

  Score one point, Gin! You managed to say something sounding cool and sophisticated.

  "I mean there were rumors of you and Finnigan fooling around—" He began and in a second I was in a rage.

  "Seamus and I? Hardly! He and Lavender were too busy batting their eyelashes at one another for me even to **_be_** his little dish on the side!" I nearly shouted, standing over his lazy figure and giving him a death glare.

  "Not that you wanted to be, of course?" He replied simply. I sat down again, closer to him.

  "Of course." I said coolly. 

  "You _have_ grown up, Weasley. No matter what, I will always admire you for being beautiful, intelligent and not being able to control that temper at all times." Malfoy chuckled. "It's rather attractive."

  "Thank you, I suppose." I replied politely. Then I remembered he might hit on me again. "Not that I want to know what you find attractive, but _thank_ you for finding me acceptable."

  Note my sarcasm, please.

  "I not only find you acceptable, I find you so damn attractive it's taking all of my self-control to keep me from kissing you." 

  Now _that_ was unexpected.

  "Is time up, Professor Sinstra?" I demanded, short of breath.

  "I don't see why not. Here, Miss Weasley. Until next time, stay out of trouble and keep your mouth closed." Professor Sinstra handed me my lollipop and I went on my way, tugging at a fiery red curl nervously.

   "I'm being stalked by a silver-haired freak." Ginny said flatly, throwing herself into a chair and not really caring that no one was around. Her friends were still in Divination and her other friends were all in the hospital wing.

  "Really, Gin?" A small voice asked. It was Neville. She smiled.

  "I know you don't have the greatest history with this person, but I want you to be impartial." Ginny rushed, bouncing over to him. All that confidence and she could still confide in Neville.

  "Go on."

  She smiled at him. He was always good with problems. He seemed to adapt a lot more than people ever could have thought. "I just had a detention."

  "Another one, Gin? What is this, your fourth?" Neville murmured, his fingers fluttering around her waist, holding her close and warm.

  "Never mind that. So I enter the room and Malfoy can barely see me, but I see him. He's scowling, probably because of my red hair, it's sort of obvious I'm a Weasley, you know. But then his jaw drops and I realize he's checking me out!"

  Neville had a hearty laugh. "Malfoy and you? That's almost as absurd as the fact that his father doesn't teach him anything in the Dark Arts."

  "He doesn't? That makes him all the more appealing!" Ginny exclaimed, but she turned back to the subject. "And then he goes, 'Weasley, why didn't you tell me you grew up?' And I go, 'Well, I didn't realize you wanted to know!' I was real cool and such, and then he goes, 'I heard about you and Finnigan..' and then I get really mad. 'I wasn't even his dish on the side!' and then he goes, 'Not that you wanted to be?' and I said, 'Of course not!' and then he actually complimented me! Three, no four times!"

  "And what did he say?" Neville asked, all excited. Nothing interesting had happened in Ginny's 'love life' since the whole affair with Seamus Finnigan.

  "That I was beautiful, intelligent, that my temper was attractive and I was irresistible. Not his exact words, but that's what he said!" Ginny rushed.

  "Definitely interesting." Neville replied.

  "But I was right. I have a feeling I am about to be stalked." Ginny said flatly, pulling away from Neville. "Thanks for giving a damn."

  "Any time, Gin, any time." Neville replied.

  "Potter, will you shut up?" Libby shouted through the door.

  "WHAT?"

  "Your bloody shower-singing is getting on my nerves!"

  "It isn't any better than what _you_ call crooning!"

  "This is my damn penthouse and I'll _croon_ whenever I damn well please!"

  "I am. I am being stalked." Ginny declared, sliding into a seat next to Neville.

  "What?" He looked up and she banged a large basket of lime lollipops onto the table.

  "I am being bloody stalked." Ginny muttered with a lollipop in her mouth. Neville grabbed it and stared at her like she was from Jupiter.

   "Wha?" She said, the lollipop back in her mouth. "Just because I don't like him doesn't mean I can't enjoy the lollipops!"

  "He's staring at you." Neville hissed.

  "I'm beautiful. So sue me." Ginny snarled back.

  "And Seamus is glaring at you."

  "Seamus _had_ his chance. Plus, he's got Reggie, the lousy womanizer."

  "If he was so lousy, how did he manage to womanize you?"

  "Oh, shut up, Neville."

    "What is she doing?" Seamus hissed, pulling Reggie closer.

    "It looks as if she's handling a problem, Seamus." Reggie told him simply, looking at him sweetly. "Seamus, I understand as much as anybody that you want to protect those you love and might have previously loved, but Ginny is fourteen. She knows how to take care of herself and Draco Malfoy is not hard to take care of."

  "What about Hermione last year?" Seamus asked. "Explain _that_."

  "Ginny and Hermione are two different people, Seamus. Hermione is the outspoken but oddly shy person and Ginny is an outgoing and manipulative person. If anything, Malfoy is going to lose, Seamus." Reggie said patiently.

  Seamus still glared in Malfoy's direction, but his look softened as his gaze fixed upon Reggie. He was glad to have her.


	7. Why McGonagall Isn't the Charms Professo...

   Sirius Black walked into the living room of his apartment to discover his daughter sitting in her bathrobe, looking very, very angry and his godson sitting on the other side of the couch, also in his bathrobe and looking very, very, angry.

  "Sirius, might you tell me who this is?" Harry demanded and Libby rolled her eyes.

  "Must you sound like you're some sort of prince?"

  Sirius cringed. _Perhaps because he is. He's acting just like his father did around his mother. It was romantic, really…. Aw, shit._

  "Harry, this is my daughter, Libby. Libby.."

  Libby screamed. "You didn't tell him? What, is his fragile royal ego too much for you to handle?"

  Sirius sighed and fell back into a chair. _If only you knew._

  Libby promptly stomped to her room and Harry just sat there in disbelief. 

  "Harry, there's a lot about your past that you don't know. Hell, there's a lot about your past that Libby doesn't know. She thinks she has it all up there, but.." Sirius trailed off, sitting up properly. "You see, I hold onto the memory of my baby son, just as your mother held onto the memory of her baby daughter. It was a small joke that Lily and I would have switched had we the choice."

  Sirius sighed once more. "And Libby very much believes that I would have."

  Libby frantically threw her clothes into her suitcase, wanting to get back to Hogwarts as soon as possible. As she grabbed her wand, she noticed the newspaper clipping in French that she had treasured.

  Loosely translated, the headline blared in large, loopy letters about the Goblet of Fire, how one of France's own went down, how a Quidditch star had been put under an Unforgivable, and how the controversy involved Voldemort and Harry Potter.

  Libby's eyes lit up with an idea. The Goblet of Fire would tell her, she would just have to find it.

  She could already hear her father and Harry stomping towards her room.

  "Not now, I suppose." Libby whispered. "But after I get my revenge."

 She was going to go out, Lily-style.

   "Libby.." Snape called after her. She turned around, her eyelids tinted with smoky blue shadows. "Stay out of trouble."

  A silky dark pink smirk played at her lips before she turned back around and headed towards the Great Hall. "Promise."

  Snape watched her saunter off. She pulled her robes out from her book bag, covering the seductive pale blue dress before she walked into the Great Hall.

  She was acting like Lily whenever James was fighting with her.

  Libby headed straight for the Head Boy, a Gryffindor by the name of Derek. "Hey."

  The blonde looked surprised, but nonetheless invited her to sit down. His friends, Fred, George, Lee and another Gryffindor boy by the name of Jack, grinned at her.

  "Snape told us about your shoe polish incident at Beauxbatons. How exactly did you convince the cooks over there?" Derek asked, his eyebrows raised and a curious smirk on his lips.

  "Well, I have my ways." Libby replied softly, demurely directing her gaze towards her food.

  "Is it true that you have a Marauder Force 2000?" George asked excitedly.

  Libby shook her head. "I have the 3000."

  George exchanged a look with Fred and they looked back to her expectantly. She nodded and the pair grabbed Lee and Jack and headed towards Libby's dorm.

  "Bribery isn't the only mechanism you use, is it?" Derek asked as Libby scooted her chair closer.

  "Why, do you want to learn?" Libby retorted in a low voice.

  "Not learn, but experience." Derek quoted McGonagall, and Libby giggled.

  "What is she doing with the Head Boy?" Harry spat.

  "Why do you care, Harry?" Hermione asked impatiently, jerking at the strap of her book bag.

  "I don't." Harry muttered. Libby.. It was supposed to be his sister's name. His dead twin sister. How his mother must have wanted Libby for her very own. "What is with her, anyways? For Merlin's sake, my godfather is her dad!"

  And then Harry understood.

  Sirius's son had died the same year his sister had died. Lily had wanted Libby for her daughter, and Sirius must have—

  Sirius must have wanted Harry for a son.

  Libby must have known that, Libby must have known that Harry Potter's mere existence made her a second priority, or at least made her seem like a second priority.

  She had had years to resent him, and he had barely gotten to know her.

  The twentieth of December fell upon Hogwarts and Harry Potter woke up, determined to make peace with Liberty Black, as the only two remaining students during Christmas holiday.

  He put his glasses on, and turned to switch off his alarm, and was startled by the appearance of the completely made-up and glamorous-looking Liberty Black sitting on Ronald Weasley's bed, legs and arms crossed and an impatient look on her face.

  "W-w-w-w-what are you doing here?" Harry stuttered, and she rolled her eyes.

  "You think I'm here for a visit, Potter? Hardly." She tossed a book in his direction. "Remus sent this to us."

  Harry stared at the leather-bound yearbook and skimmed its pages. "Interesting."

  "Yeah, I know, I read it back and front." Libby lied. 

  "Wow, this Jackie chick and your dad look really involved." Harry said off-handedly, remarking at one of the pictures of the Quidditch team.

  Libby marched over, and turned away from the book instantly. 

  "They do not!" She muttered hotly.

  "They do, too! Isn't your mother's name Jacqueline?" Harry asked.

  Libby swallowed a lump in her throat. "My mother's name was Nadia, and my father loved _her_, not some Jackie floozy."

  Harry raised an eyebrow. "I dunno, they look rather cozy."

  Libby turned, glaring at him and slapping the book shut. "They do NOT!"

  Harry was about to stand up, the book in his hands. "I'm not blind, Libby. Those two looked like they were completely in love."

  Libby grabbed at the book, her voice raising a pitch. "They did NOT!"

  Harry yanked back. "They did SO!"

  Libby held on to the book, yanking with an equal amount of force. She stomped her foot in frustration. "Harry Potter, you wouldn't know love if it hit you with a Bludger!"

  "Just because your father was in love with someone other than your mother, doesn't mean he didn't love your mother as well!" Harry snapped, giving the yearbook a tug.

  "My dad loved my mum and only my mum!" Libby shrieked, nearly in tears. "Why is that so hard for you to accept?"

  "Why is it so hard for you to understand a such thing as high school sweethearts?" Harry retorted, his mother's stubborn boldness taking over him for the first time.. At least the second time when fighting with a girl, and he supposed Draco Malfoy no longer counted..

  "DAMN YOU, HARRY!"

  Their shouting had become loud enough for Minerva McGonagall to hear, and when she heard Libby's shrill voice and a stomp, she decided it would be best for her to step in.

  "This behavior is NOT acceptable!" McGonagall said upon reaching the boys' dormitory. The pair continued to argue and she noticed they had some form of a weapon.

  Damn, Charms had never been her forte. She shut her eyes and hoped she was Summoning the damn thing.

  Libby and Harry felt a yank at their navels and landed in a tangled heap in the middle of a very empty, majestic corridor.

  Libby detangled herself from Harry, and was horrified to find that she was in a dress. A nice, early 60's vintage dress it may have been, but it was still a dress. Harry was dressed in a sweater and a pair of dress slacks.

  "Geez, Harry, Libs, you two could be a little more discreet when you go off to make out. What if the Minister were to catch you." Someone teased from behind them, and the two turned and promptly stood up, dusting themselves off.

  "Who're you?" Harry asked slowly.

  The boy looked like a miniature Sirius, at their age. "Gee, Harry. I'm hurt. Just because I was teasing you, doesn't mean your memory has to go AWOL. C'mon, sis. Dad's looking for us."

  "Huh?" Libby whispered, and out of the corner of Harry's eye, he noticed the yearbook was still on the floor. 

  "Liberty Isabella Black, you, the twin sister of James Godric Black, are required in the presence of Sirius Aries Black, along with your brother, nicknamed Jamie, for the reasons I don't give a damn about." The boy continued to say, looking at the both of them like they were nuts. "Gee, Harry, when you start making out with my sister, could you please not hit her head?"

  Libby and Harry exchanged a nervous look. This was not good.


	8. An Alternate Universe

  Libby looked back at Harry desperately as her 'brother' led her away.

  "Don't worry, Libs, I'll have you back to your precious boyfriend in no time." James muttered. "Honestly, Libs, three years ago you couldn't stand him. W-w-what.."

  James trailed off as a girl, probably about their age if not but a year younger, ran by them. Her red-gold hair flowed behind her as she eagerly took Harry's arm. "Come on, big bro, we have to beat Draco's team in Quidditch!"

  She then turned to James and Libby. "Where are you two going? You need to play, too!"

  James flushed. "G-g-g-g-gee, Ruby.. We kind of need to talk to our dad."

  Ruby smiled innocently, and Libby smirked. Whoever this James person was, he sure did like this Ruby girl.

  James turned nervously, taking Libby by the wrist and leading her down a corridor.

  Draco Malfoy smiled at them pleasantly as they passed him. "Sir Black, Lady Black."

  He bowed to them and Libby scowled at him.

  "Geez, Libs." James murmured as they quickly passed him, and he shot Draco an apologizing look. "That's one of my best friends!"

  Libby looked at her 'brother' in complete disgust. "What are you, a Slytherin?"

  James looked shocked. "How dare you!"

  Libby pointed in Draco's direction. "HE'S a Slytherin."

  At this, James started laughing. "Now I get it. It's just one big joke. You had me confused for a second, Libs." He said between outbreaks of laughter. "Draco Frost, a Slytherin! Hah!"

  Libby looked around as she was being led through the corridors. It certainly wasn't Hogwarts, but it was a castle. "Where are we?"

  James rolled his eyes. "You'd think you'd know the Gryffindor palace after practically growing up here."

  Libby's head began to hurt. All this information was too confusing.

  Ruby, frustrated, stomped her foot and started heading in the opposite direction as Libby and 'James'. 

  Harry, confused, picked up the yearbook and went trotting after her. He finally caught up, about five steps behind her, and began reading.

  All of the scribbles about his parents' classmates, besides Jackie's and Rafael's, were gone. Instead, photos of his parents getting married in a huge ceremony, portraits of him as a child and other children who looked like him, just a bit. There were pictures of what looked like a younger Libby and her 'brother', and photos of DRACO MALFOY?

  Ruby, not knowing he was behind her, kept going. But Harry halted at a huge portrait. On two thrones, side by side, sat images of his parents, with Harry himself standing regally behind his dad, and the girl, Ruby, standing behind their mother. Between the thrones stood a boy who looked a lot like Harry, with softer features, piercing blue eyes and a younger face. On the other side of his mother's throne stood a beautiful young girl, probably about eight, with jet black hair and sparkling blue eyes, and in his father's lap sat a girl about three years old, with bouncing red curls and Harry's own emerald green eyes. His father wore a magnificent golden crown with rubies and lions, and his mother's tiara resembled his.

  And it struck him.

  He was in Gryffindor. In the Gryffindor palace.

  And he was a prince.

  "On our left we have the family portrait of the reigning monarchs. In King James's lap sits the youngest, little Princess Jadelyn, and to his right stands Prince Godric. Behind Queen Lily stands Princess Ruby, and to her right stands Princess Amanda, though everyone calls her Aphrodite or Dite." The tour guide said in a regal voice, and Harry turned.

  Her eyes widened and the group dropped to their knees. "Prince Harry!"

  Harry froze. If Ruby, the girl who had been walking in front of him earlier, had been his younger sister, the eldest of his other siblings judging by the portrait, then that meant that he was the heir to the throne.

  Oh, mother of Morgana le Faye.

  "No one is allowed to see the Minister during the peace conference." The guard, dressed in scarlet, black and gold, told them with a sneer.

  "Perhaps you don't recognize us. We're his children, Sir James Godric Black and Lady Liberty Isabella Black." James pointed to a large portrait to the twins' right. "Look at that!"

  The guard's eyes didn't so much as blink. But Libby looked at the portrait, fascinated.

  On either side of a dining room chair stood James and herself. James was decked out in a four-piece silk suit, in different shades of blue, with a thin red and gold sash draped across his chest. Their father's ensemble matched, and he sat in the chair. Libby herself was dressed in a strapless dark blue ball gown, with the same sash draped across her and her hair up, held back by a tiara.

  On the bottom edge of the frame, it read, Sir Sirius Black, Minister of Magic of Gryffindor, and Family.

  Libby broke away from James and went running to find the library, and hopefully, Harry.

  Harry smiled nervously, excusing himself and running after Ruby. "Ruby! Ruby!"

  Ruby turned around and Harry found himself staring at someone who looked almost exactly like his mother's yearbook photo. Except her eyes were blue. She smiled. "Oh, dear, darling big brother of mine. What is it that you require?"

  She snorted to throw off her royal etiquette. 

  Harry grinned. Definitely had some spunk, this one. "Where's the library?"

  She threw back her head and laughed. "Now that's a question I never thought you'd ask. Harry Potter, the heir to the Gryffindor throne, reading? Maybe to snog Libby, but not to read!"

  She eyed him suspiciously. "You aren't just going to snog Libby, are you? Because, frankly, I don't think I'm quite prepared to be an aunt yet."

  Harry shot her a glare. "No, I want to read something."

  Ruby giggled again. "Okay, but I'm believing you."

  Libby nervously entered the library, whose doors were wide open. A pensive Draco Frost sat in a large armchair reading a book. Another boy, with Harry's messy black hair sat in a chair at a table, with a small redheaded girl on his lap and a brunette girl to his right, leaning over to look at the pictures in the book.

  "Ah, Libertia." Draco said loudly, rolling his tongue at his version of her name. "Glad to see you're feeling better."

  Libby looked at him with a little skepticism. "Draco Frost, right?"

  He nodded, giving her a puzzled look, but then returning to his book. "Funny, I never thought a fever would give one memory problems."

  Libby took a deep breath and started walking through the library. Grand portraits and shelves upon shelves of books lined the walls, with a large globe in front of a large, floor-to-ceiling window. There were sofas and comfy armchairs scattered about, tables with chairs in the center of the room, and a large, roaring fire in the most elaborate fireplace Libby had ever seen. And even off in a corner was a ladder leading up to a loft, which looked comfy from her point of view.

  She smiled. The palace was crawling with children and teenagers. As she passed one bookshelf, familiar faces, faces she had seen in portraits on her way here, were plastered all over issues of Witch Weekly. She rifled through the magazines and gathered the ones she found necessary, heading across the room towards the loft.

  "Lady Black." Someone whispered, and Libby turned to face a golden-haired, brown-eyed boy with an American accent. "I don't believe you'd recognize me."

  Libby shook her head and he offered his hand. "My name is Rhett Figg. My mother was a friend of your father's, and my father played Quidditch with him."

  Libby nodded and the last name clicked. Figg! As in Arabella! As in the widow who was disguised as an old lady! She never had a son!

  A look of realization must have flashed across her face, because he smiled in satisfaction. "Oh, good. Your father has told you about me. I attend the Academy, as he planned for you to do."

  Planned? Libby _had_ to go to the Academy. But now that she thought about it, everything else in this world was so twisted that she probably had attended Hogwarts since she was eleven.

  "But now, I'm happy to say, I've been transferred to Hogwarts." He finally released her hand. "I hope to see you there."

  Libby flashed him a weary smile. "Same here."

  He turned to leave and Libby let out a sigh, running across the library as best she could in her skirt. She climbed up the ladder and gasped.

  The loft was so obviously designed for her. There were dark, rich shades of red, blue and green everywhere, from the chenille throws to the matching pillows. There were candles in iron holders and cute picture frames and sketches. She threw herself onto a chenille-covered mattress and began to read.

  Her eyes scanned each page about this world. Draco Frost was the nephew of Lily's old boss, Ronan Figg was indeed living and was a Quidditch player for the Gryffindor Lions, and his wife, Arabella, had Lily's old position and was sending their son Rhett to Hogwarts now. Harry had a brother and three sisters, one of which was supposed be one of her best friends, Ruby. His brother was downstairs, reading to 'Dite', the brunette, and Jadelyn, the redhead. Reggie Ravenclaw turned out to be Lily's half-sister's child, making her Harry and the gangle of children's cousin.

  Her heart sunk when she began reading about her own family. Her mother had indeed died, but it only served as a reason to bind she and James tighter together. And Sirius.. Sirius, her father, was often posed as the regal minister of magic, with an indifference towards his children. 

  Libby's heart filled with gloom. Her dad had always been preoccupied in the other world, but now it was even worse. Back home, she only had Harry to compete with. Now she had a brother.

  She gathered up the magazines and began preparing to leave when the headline of one magazine, the one she hadn't needed to read, caught her eye.

  It was her and Harry in a heart-shaped picture, with the caption, 'Royal In Love'. She knew that Harry and herself were supposed to be in some sort of relationship, but she didn't have all the details.

  Libby's curiosity got the best of her and she opened the magazine, prepared to read her fate.

  Harry and Ruby walked into the library and instantaneously Harry recognized his siblings. Godric was reading to the brunette… Dite. And the youngest was Jadelyn, on his lap. He grinned with pride.

  Suddenly, that smile faded upon the sight of a content-looking Malfoy, curled up in a large armchair reading a book. He looked up and sent Harry a friendly grin. "Ah, Harry! All we need is James and we can have a near-perfect Quidditch match. Too bad the Weasleys can't come for another week, then we'd have someone to replace Jadelyn. She's only three, Harry. Don't you think your whole 'my-baby-sister-is-going-to-be-a-Quidditch-star' ambition is a little much?"

  And then it clicked. Draco was supposed to be his friend.

  "Honestly, Frost, I think that's the best destiny Jadelyn can get. Three girls, what a nightmare." Godric commented from his position. Jadelyn ducked her little head under his arm.

  "ARRY!" She shrieked, running up to him and hugging him around his knees.

  Harry chuckled and picked up the not-so-familiar little girl. "How's my little Jadelyn?"

  She scowled. "I'se not your Jadelyn, 'arry. I'se Ruby's Jadelyn."

  Ruby smirked at him and lifted Jadelyn out of Harry's arms. 

  Dite came over and hugged him as well. "Haven't seen you since Mummy sent us on vacation."

 Ruby cocked her head to one side in interest. "Oh, how was New York, by the way? I heard you brought back Bella's son."

  Godric's eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah! Rhett! He's the greatest Quodpot player I've ever seen!"

  Draco came over, book under his arm and a familiar sneer on his face. "Quodpot? Have we taught you nothing, Godric? The best broom sport is Quidditch."

  Godric's eyes still had that twinkle as he defended his new hobby. "But in Quodpot, the balls blow up!"

  Draco's own eyes looked like fireworks had gone off. "They blow up?"

  "Yeah!" Godric exclaimed, and the two went off, Godric explaining the logistics of Quodpot as they exited the library.

  "You're here, Harry. Have fun." Ruby said, turning around. "Come on, Dite, we need to go find James."

  Harry took in the grand library as he heard the door shut softly behind them. He sighed contentedly. "This is the life."

  And of course, Libby had to ruin the moment by coming up to him in a panic. "We're in love."

  Harry looked at her like she was a nut. "Thanks for the update."

  She slapped him on the arm with the magazine she had in her hand. "We're dating."

  Harry rolled his eyes and started heading towards the back of the library. "Thanks again."

  Libby let out a strangled scream. "According to this magazine, we've been dating for a year and a half and our parents are getting funny ideas."

  Harry's eyes widened and he turned around slowly. "Our parents?"

  She put one hand on her hip. "Yes. Sirius, Lily, James, the.. Whole three."

  Harry's face fell. "So your mum's not in this world?"

  Libby gulped and looked away. "No, she's not."

  Harry didn't know what came over him, but he headed for her and slipped a comforting arm around her shoulder. "It's going to be okay."

  To his surprise and her own, she didn't push him away. "I'm sort of used to it. Lucky I didn't get my hopes up. By the time I figured this all out, I already knew she wasn't around." 

  Harry looked around. "This is supposed to be all mine."

  Libby nodded and they both began walking out of the library. "Yep."

  He chuckled. "Supposedly we have our own Quidditch field. Wanna check it out?"

  Libby looked at him affectionately. "You know, that sounds like a great idea."

  He led her out of the room and the magazine slipped from her fingers.

  **In three years, after their graduation from Hogwarts, Prince Harry James Potter I, son of King James Potter I and Queen Lily Potter III, will wed the daughter of the late Lady Nadia Black and her husband, the current Gryffindor Minister of Magic, Sir Sirius Black, Lady Liberty Isabella Black. **


	9. And It Continues..

Disclaimer: As we all know, most of these characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The song from Libby's music box belongs to the writers of Music Man, and the original characters and the plot belong to me.. I'll give you another disclaimer perchance things change (and, by some miracle, I'm granted the rights to the Harry Potter characters..)

  "What the hell are you doing in a dress?" A familiar female voice spat accusingly, and Libby's eyes, which were downcast, slowly rose to meet the girl's.

  "Reggie!" She cried excitedly. Reggie was dressed in an ensemble not at all like her drab and stiff wardrobe, but more like the aristocratic, timeless classics Lily's yearbook photos often showed her wearing. Libby smiled at Reggie's change of luck. But all of a sudden her head hurt. How was she supposed to answer questions? She just arrived in this world an hour ago.

  James, fortunately, answered her. "Oh, you know, the routine meeting with Dad."

  Reggie nodded and looked at her watch. "Geez, girls, we have to get ready for dinner."

  Godric looked at his own watch. "You girls have three hours!"

  "Only three?" Ruby shrieked in fake shock. "Come on, ladies, we have to go put on our faces."

  Reggie looked down at her chest. "And other parts."

  Libby and Ruby laughed and the boys scowled.

  "Let's go raid Libby's closet." Ruby said excitedly. "I heard you got some new shipments from the States."

  Libby nodded and threw a helpless glance towards Harry before following the girls to her room.

  "Have you guys heard about the Muggle book, Eight Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter?" James asked as they started working on Chaser plays.

  The boys shook their head and James smirked. "I could write that book and have a best-seller, yes I could. It's easy. James's One Simple Rule For Dating My Sister. On the first and only page would be, in very fancy writing, mind you, James's one simple rule for dating my sister: Don't."

  The boys laughed, looking first at James and then back to Harry, and then they'd laugh more. Harry grinned embarrassedly and flew up as they began their Snitch exercises. He caught a glimpse of the girls, Ruby, Reggie and Libby, watching their game from a corridor. Reggie and Ruby were keeping their eyes on the Chaser plays down below, but Libby was staring straight ahead, her eyes glazed over.

  She seemed to be friendlier now. Not that Harry minded. She was always so flustered, so angry. Now she didn't have to compete with him. After all, there was James…

  He looked down at her poor, oblivious brother. Boy, would he find Libby hell for the next few days.

  Harry would miss it. He would miss her pointed insults, and her rude periods of the cold shoulder. He would miss her 'accidental' sabotage, and most of all, he would miss their fights- she was gorgeous when she was flustered. But, looking back at her now, she was even more attractive when she was calm, cool and sophisticated.

  "Snap out of it, Potter!" Harry muttered, shaking his head violently. "Libby Black, attractive?"

  "Oy, _Your Majesty_!" Godric called teasingly. "You just missed the Snitch. Frost got it."

  Harry looked from the field to Libby and his eyes widened. "Oh, damn."

  Libby smiled as Harry flew down to join the boys and they got into a fake scuffle. A memory flashed before her eyes, but it wasn't really one of her own.. It was Lady Black's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Where is he? Where the fuck is he?"

  "Calm down, Jamie!"

  "You're not old enough to date, you aren't!"

  "I'm not a little girl, Jamie!"

  "You're only fourteen!"

  "So are you!"

  James let out a strangled shout. By now, they were both standing up, inches away from each other with only a Hogwarts library table between them.

  "You're not mature enough to handle dating!"

  "Like you are? FYI, girls are more mature than boys!"

  "Then I don't want you dating anyone dumber than you are!"

  "That pretty much leaves out fourth years, fifth years, and sixth years. What, do you want me to start a fling with the Head Boy?"

  "Argh, Libby!"

  There was a pause. James turned his head away and crossed his arms in frustration and then he faced her again. "If he ever.."

  Libby smirked, crossing her arms. "Royal or not, I'll make sure he has no little heirs."

  James still wasn't satisfied, but he knew he wasn't going to win. He snorted and turned his back on her, and she gave him the same treatment.

  Harry Potter stood at the library entrance, frozen in shock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Come on, Libs. We have more than clothes to handle." Ruby said, rolling her eyes in what seemed to be true-Ruby fashion. Libby shook her head. Where did _that_ come from?

  Ruby led them to a whimsical blue door towards the end of the hall and opened it.

  Libby's eyes widened as Ruby revealed a room larger than Libby's father's apartment. The room had a simple pattern, dark cherry wood with different shades of light blue, ruffled silk all over the place, and the furniture were all made in a Victorian style. There were dolls and stuffed bears and pillows all over the place, with a lot of photo frames on the mantle of her grand fireplace. Most of the photos were processed in the Muggle style, which Libby liked. They were black-and-white and in silver photo frames.

  And the sight of the three ladies, a four-piece string quartet began playing Moon River, and the surprise made Libby jolt. She turned back to a few of the photos. There was one of her, Ruby, Reggie and, to her relief, Hermione and Ginny, playing on the bank of the Hogwarts lake. There was another of James, Harry, Fred, George, Seamus, Katie and Alicia on the Quidditch field. There was a larger one of Draco and Godric; with Dite in Draco's arms and Jadelyn in Godric's. And the largest was of her, looking at the camera with affection, hugging her knees in a profile shot and her dark curls were loose and framing her face in a beautiful, but non-sexy way.

  "Harry took that one." Reggie reminded her, pulling Libby out of her reverie. "He's becoming quite the photographer."

  "Outfits, ladies!" Ruby reminded them, and she crossed to a pair of white French doors near the fireplace and opened them. Reggie rolled her eyes and Libby tore her eyes away from the photo. 

  Libby gasped as she entered her 'closet'. It was like a two-story department store, everything in sections and on display. There was even an assistant.

  "Hello, Roz. We've got to get ready for a semi-formal supper." Ruby explained and the blonde witch nodded. "We'll help ourselves and call if we need you."

  "Dresses take up the second floor, right?" Reggie asked innocently. Ruby thought about it for a moment. "Dresses and blouses. T-shirts, pants and skirts are down here, scarves are upstairs, hats are down here and jewelry.. Well, those are in Libby's boudoir."

  Libby took in the huge closet and shrugged. She might as well play the part. Besides, there was this really, really cute pale blue dress upstairs.

  Meanwhile, James had led the boys to Harry's room, which happened to be on the other side of the palace. James and Draco went straight to Harry's desk and began writing.

  Harry looked at them skeptically. "What're you doing?"

  Draco shot him an odd look. "First you ask us to write your speech, and then you completely forget about it? Some friend you are."

  "Hey, cut him some slack." James commanded. "I mean, how would you feel if you were forced to give a speech on how happy you were to be finalizing plans for your wedding, which isn't for another three years, and why you wanna marry your girlfriend? In front of your guardians, and her father?"

  Draco, if at all possible, paled. "Sorry, Harry."

  "It's okay." Harry whispered, still a little confused. He put two and two together and.. 

  Shit! He and Libby were getting married!

  Well, it couldn't be too bad. She seemed to be the only one who knew about the other world.. And he was rather attracted to her.

  Maybe that's what she was trying to say to him earlier. He murmured his thanks to his friends and looked at some of the pictures on his desk.

  There was a large one of Libby, black-and-white, and processed in the Muggle fashion. She looked at the photographer lovingly, hugging her knees in a profile shot.

  "Still proud of that one, aren't you? Eh, I would be too. It's rather nice." Rhett commented. "She's beautiful, if you don't mind me saying."

  Harry raised one eyebrow. "Well, it's the truth."

  There was another one, same coloring and processing, equally as large, of Libby in his arms. Both were smiling, but at each other rather than the camera.

  He would piece things together if it was the last thing he did.

  Libby stepped out of the changing stall, wearing a sleeveless pale pink satin dress, with a crossover neckline with small ruffles lining it. Her slim skirt stopped two inches past her knees and she slipped into a sparkly, pale yellow, short-sleeved crossover v-neck sweater with pale yellow silk ribbons that she secured in a loose bow in the back. 

  "Tsk, tsk, Libby. You've fallen for my brother. Such a shame. Such a waste. And we thought we raised you well." Ruby said, wearing a sedate, sparkly and light gold slip dress. She patted Libby on the back, a false look of disappointment on her face.

  "Where did we go wrong?!?!" Reggie shrieked from upstairs, still undecided on what to wear.

  Libby raised her eyebrows knowingly. She hadn't actually fallen for him. _Not yet._

  She shook her head violently, trying to get her subconscious to change it's mind. It didn't.

  Reggie bounced down, wearing the pale blue silk dress with hanky-hem skirt that Libby had eyed earlier. "Make-up, ladies?"

  They turned to Roz, who nodded and led them into another room, with colors such as champagne, light gold and cream for the theme. It looked, at least to Libby, something straight off of Mount Olympus.

  Libby sat down at the largest mirror, and a midnight blue box, covered with silk, embroidered with silvery-blue stars and its facets made of silver, caught her eye. She opened it and a little singer, dressed in a flimsy white dress with a whimsical blue satin sash and the darkest hair and reddest lips Libby had ever seen, spun around in front of the mirror. The music was vaguely familiar, and the tiny tinkle of a music box was charming.

**Good night, my someone.  
Good night, my love.  
Sleep tight, my someone.  
Sleep tight, my love.  
  
**

  "Oh, is she playing that bloody thing again?" Ruby demanded impatiently and Reggie rolled her eyes.

  "It's her favorite." She reminded the sarcastic princess.

  "It is?" Libby whispered softly and Reggie cocked one eyebrow upwards.

**Our star is shining its brightest light,  
For good night, my love, for good night.**

  "Are you kidding me? Liberty Black does not know what her boyfriend got her for Christmas? Honestly!" Reggie snorted.

Sweet dreams be yours, dear, if dreams there be --  
Sweet dreams to carry you close to me.  
I wish they may and I wish they might.  
Now good night, my someone, good night.  
  
  "Boyfriend?" Libby whispered, picking up a tiny photo frame, probably about an inch tall, and eyeing the black-and-white Muggle photo inside.

"True love can be whispered from heart to heart,  
When lovers are parted," they say.  
But I must depend on a wish and a star  
As long as my heart doesn't know who you are.

  "Harry, you forgetful, silly bird!" Ruby said, rolling her eyes at Libby's antics.

  The photo was of Harry, with her in his arms. They looked.. In love.

Sweet dreams be yours, dear, if dreams there be --  
Sweet dreams to carry you close to me

  Libby's eyes glazed over and suddenly, a memory flashed in front of her eyes. Again, it wasn't one of her own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Harry, where are we going?"

  "Shh.. McGonagall's going to catch us for sure if you don't be quiet."

  "Harry, if you haven't noticed, we're under an Invisibility Cloak."

  "That doesn't stop her from hearing us, does it?"

  "Harry, this Christmas is really not turning out so well. First that peace conference on.. Grr, I wish we were home."

  Harry laughed at his girlfriend's frustration and he led her up the stairs, thanking Merlin for probably the eightieth time that Libby's nightclothes were so short. Except this time it was for a different reason. She couldn't see her own feet, what was to stop her from tripping on something and falling face forwards?

  "Harry, I'm freezing. Are we there yet?"

  "Almost, Libs. Almost." 

  Suddenly, they stopped and soft light from a hundred different candles with a soft vanilla, cookie-like scent made Libby gasp. Harry threw the cloak off of them and got down on one knee.

  "Libby, my angel, Merry Christmas." He pulled out a well-wrapped box from behind him and Libby gasped.

  "Oh, Harry.." She murmured, but he stood, putting a finger to her lips.

  "Just open it, alright? I don't need a thank you, it was my pleasure." He said, planting a soft, romantic kiss on her lips before pulling away.

  She pulled at the bow, and the box vanished only to reveal another. About four inches long and half a foot wide, it was covered with midnight blue silk, embroidered with silvery-blue stars and facets made of silver. The top of the bottom half and the edge of the lid had ornate silver links. Libby looked up at Harry, her eyes bewildered and his eyes encouraging.

  She opened the box, and it was lined with silver blue silk. A mirror was in the lid and on a tiny stand stood a little spinning singer, with dark hair, red lips, a white chiffon gown and a whimsical blue satin sash. A little lullaby escaped her lips, with charming, tinkling music.

  "Oh, Harry!" Libby whispered in delight. "Thank you.. This has made my Christmas worth it!"

  She set the box down on the ground and threw her arms around Harry's neck. "Thank you." She whispered again, kissing him softly. "Thank you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wish they may and I wish they might.

Now good night, my someone, good night.

  Libby shook her head violently. Where were these images coming from?

  "I helped him set up the candles." Reggie recalled in reminisce. "It was gorgeous."

Good night! Good night!

  Libby closed her eyes as Roz darkened, curled and lengthened her eyelashes, and brushed a light, golden shimmer across her eyelids. Roz let her curls hang loose and just lightly brushed Libby's lips with dark pink gloss.

  Libby looked down at her feet, and she was shocked to discover diamond slippers on her feet.

  "Another gift from Harry, how appropriate your attire is tonight, Libby." Ruby commented with not a hint of sarcasm, which was a surprise. 

  Libby stood up and admired her reflection. A simple choker of diamonds had found it's way to her neck and on her left ring finger was a simple band of platinum with an elaborate star.

  This must have been her engagement ring.

  "Funny, you normally have that thing on that silver chain.. Where is it?" Reggie asked innocently, but she just had to look over in Libby's music box to find it. "Picturesque. Absolutely picturesque."

  Ruby's eyes swelled with tears. "You're going to be one pretty queen, Libs."

  "Queen." Libby repeated in a low murmur.

  The dinner went off smoothly, though Draco and James, across the table from Harry, had to mouth his lines to him, and he hadn't seen Libby all night. He did, however, see Sirius, who, for the first time in a long time, looked like his name. Harry barely caught a glimpse of his parents, let alone talked to them. What he did notice, however, were the people eating in the balconies above them, observing the table with fascination.

  "What are those?" Harry asked, jerking his head towards the tables above them.

  Rhett shrugged. "I always thought the tradition was silly. People come in and pay to see the royals eat, having dinners of their own. Only at supper, thank Merlin. What was that Muggle book about Big Brother? 1984, was it?"

  Harry laughed, but still eyed his observers uncomfortably.

  What happened to you, Sirius? Harry asked himself as he and the boys left the dining room.

  There were three giggling girls standing ahead of them. As the boys came closer, it was clear that the girls were Reggie, Ruby and Libby. Libby looked the most nervous out of all three, and Reggie threw her cigarette to the ground.

  "Nasty habit, Reg." Ruby commented as the boys neared.

  "I'll quit before summer vaca, promise." Reggie half-snapped. "You and James go off and have your little talk." 

  Ruby turned the color of her hair, but didn't disobey. "Jamie!"

  Harry chuckled as the pair went off. "Lucky I'm not their Prince Harry, else I'd have to punch him."

  Libby didn't say anything to his whispered joke, just took his offered arm and led him into a dimly lighted chamber. "Harry, I'm seeing things."

  Harry took a step back and appraised her. "Fashionable things, I'd say."

  Libby didn't laugh or smile. In fact, she looked a bit sick. "I'm seeing her memories."

  Harry looked at her oddly. "Who?"

  "Me, well, her.. This other girl, Lady Liberty Black. I'm seeing things from her past and it's so odd.." Libby hugged him, to his surprise, her arms around his neck. She buried her face into his shoulder. "I remember how James reacted to our relationship, and how you gave me my Christmas present.. And look!"

  She stepped back and flashed him her engagement ring.

  He took her hand inspecting it. "Wow, I have rather nice taste in jewelry."

  She glared at him, taking her hand back slowly and thrusting out a foot. "And look at that."

  Harry bent down and squinted, and Libby got an eyeful of his Quidditch-shaped backside. And what a nice backside it was.

  Libby shook her head violently. She shouldn't have thought that.

  "Damn, I'm spending a fortune on you." He commented with wide eyes.

  "Yeah, your parents' fortune." Libby spat, but her scowl softened into a worried expression. She took both of his hands and looked down at them. "Soon, I'm going to completely morph into her. I'll have her personality, her memories.. And her fate."

  Harry knew what she was talking about and gulped back the lump in his throat. "Yeah. You know we're getting married in three years, right?"

  "Amazing, isn't it?" Draco Frost's loud voice interrupted their private reverie. "Absolutely amazing. You two didn't even like each other.."

  "Three years ago." They both chorused in a poignant whisper.

  "Yeah, well, we got to get back to our rooms. Tomorrow's the last day of leisure here at the castle and then we have to go off to Hogwarts." Draco reminded them. "C'mon, you two. Save the snogging for Hogwarts. They don't allow cameras there anymore."

  Libby softly let go of one of Harry's hands, but still clutched the other. For safety, for support.. And for many other reasons she didn't quite want to face up to right now.


	10. Midnight Rendevous And First Kiss

  Libby found her way back to her room and sort of floated towards her closet, selecting a short, ruffly pale pink pajama set and taking her music box with her. As the lights in her room dimmed, she opened the music box, took one last look at her and Harry's photo, and fell asleep in layers of silk.

  Despite the fact that Harry was lying in the most comfortable bed ever made, he couldn't sleep. Hell, who was to say this wouldn't be all gone by tomorrow?

  Harry got out of bed, tied his 'Hugh Heppner' robe tightly around his waist, and threw his Invisibility Cloak (which was conveniently on his balcony) over himself and grabbing his broom.

  Well, if Libby was going to morph into this other self, he was going to have to talk to her before she did.

  Harry touched down softly on Libby's balcony. It was sort of easy to spot, the one next to the gigantic Gryffindor Lions fan-memorabilia-covered balcony which Harry naturally assumed was James's.

  He tried pulling on the door handle, but of course, it had to be locked. He smirked at the thought. _Nothing but the best for the future queen._

  But this frustrated him. He threw off his cloak and it sunk to a silvery heap on top of his broom.

  He had to admit, for a spring night, as he assumed it was, it was pretty cold. He shoved his hands into his pockets and discovered something warm and hard.

  And shaped like a key.

  Libby woke abruptly to the sound of.. Well, to the lack of sound. Her music box had lulled her to sleep and Harry Potter stood over it, a single hand on the lid.

  As soon as he saw she had awoken, he rushed over, covering her mouth, knowing she would shriek. And shriek she did.

  But what came out was a muffled groan.

  "What are you doing here?" Libby hissed loudly, and, upon spotting her open balcony door, crossed her arms and glared at him. "How did you get here?"   

  Harry's other hand flew up, showing her a magnificent silver key with a loopy L for a handle, embedded with blue topazes. "Wonder what _we_ used this for."

  By we he meant them, of course. And Libby shut her eyes, disgusted, but visions of Harry stepping into her moonlit bedroom and pulling her into a somewhat romantic snog her flashed in her brain nonetheless.

  "Why are you here?" Libby asked instead, shaking her head to berid her mind of those.. Thoughts.

  Harry's mischievousness swept through him and he snaked his arms around her waist. "Why else but to see my lady love?"

  Libby looked alarmed. "You are the other Harry Potter, aren't you? As in, the non-royal Harry Potter?" She pushed on his arms, trying to get away.

  Harry hugged her tightly. "I was just playing around, Libs."

  She scowled. "Don't."

  Harry stepped back, his arms still in their former position. "Calm down, Libs. I promise I'll be the same until we leave. But I can't guarantee I want to leave.."

    Libby shuddered and Harry took another step back. "It's cold and you're wearing that?"

  She scowled. "I was completely planning on sleeping under the warm covers all night. Sorry if I'm not properly attired for the prince's presence."

  He smirked. "You look good." He tried to open the box, but found he couldn't.

  "I think it was Charmed so I was the only one who can open it." Libby said, frustrated with Harry. She opened it, seizing the key from his hands and putting it there next to the tiny photo frame. She shut it instantly, flushing.

  Harry raised one eyebrow. "Well, well, well.. I take it our counterparts are very, very risqué."

  "Lady Black? Is everything alright in there?" All of a sudden, the guard knocked on the door.

  Harry and Libby looked towards the door, frozen in shock.

  "Under the bed, under the bed!" Libby hissed suddenly, going over to the balcony door, closing it and the curtains. She ran and jumped on the bed, but not until after she properly kicked him under the bed. She pulled her covers up to her chin.

  The door creaked open. "I just heard voices…"

  Libby appeared entirely knocked out but she roused sleepily. "Pardon?"

  The guard looked alarmed. "Oh, sorry, Lady Black."

  "Wha?" Libby asked, sitting up.

  Harry covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.

  "I'm sorry, Lady Black, I thought I heard voices." The guard tipped his hat. "As you were."

  "Thank you." Libby called out after him in a soft voice. He closed the door, still shaking his head.

  Harry got out from under the bed. "That was close."

  And then the door opened again.

  "Good going, Potter." Libby muttered as she and Harry were marched to the king's office.

  "Me?" Harry whispered loudly.

  "Eh, you two." The guard muttered. "Keep it down."

  "You were the one who just showed up." Libby hissed.

  "So which one of us is taking the blame? Which of our parents will be more understanding?" Harry asked as the guard saluted another at the front door.

  "You two sit in there, His Majesty is being summoned." The guard ordered gently. "And we will know if you two try to split."

  Libby sat down on an ultra-soft sofa. "Probably your parents. As long as it doesn't get to the press, they could really care less because they did this sort of shit all the time."

  Harry smirked. "How exactly am I supposed to say I got in?"

  Libby shut her eyes in frustration, her head in her hands. "I don't know."

  Another door behind the desk opened and a much older version of Godric came out. He was probably in his mid-thirties, and he tied a blue Hugh Heppner robe tightly around his waist. He sat down at the desk and got a piece of parchment out and began writing on it, dipping his magnificent swan feather quill into a silver ink pot every now and then.

  Harry's eyebrows went up and Libby sat up properly. They exchanged puzzled looks and just as Libby's mouth began to open, he spoke.

  "Liberty, I wouldn't say anything right about now. Your father will be here momentarily." He said, looking at the pair for the first time. "Interesting. I bet I would have done the same when Lily and I were your age. That is, if she would let me."

  He chuckled at his own joke and went back to writing.

  Libby groaned. "My dad is going to go ballistic."

  The man laughed heartily. "Yeah. I remember when David Morales got down on one knee to ask Lily to be his girlfriend, your dad pounced on him. Just came flying out of the crowd like a flying squirrel. Rather funny, it was."

  "James?" A soft voice asked, floating out through the barely open door. "It wasn't that funny. David could have been hurt."

  James looked at them, rolling his eyes. "Yes, dear."

  Harry looked to Libby in amazement. This was his dad.

  Libby smirked at James. "Woo-cha!"

  James snorted, amused. "Yep, that's me. As whipped as a horse."

  "Don't you mean whipped as a stag, Prongs?" Another male voice said, and Harry and Libby's heads turned to face the door they had come in.

  Libby groaned. It was her dad. 

  "Yeah, Padfoot. My mistake." James chuckled.

  "What now with these two? Midnight Quidditch scrimmage again?" Sirius asked, sitting down next to Libby.

  "Nah, I think they learned their lesson from last time." James said, standing up and going around to the front of his desk, placing his hands on his desk and leaning back. "Harry found his way into Libby's room. Through the balcony."

  Libby flushed a million shades of red and Harry looked in the other direction.

  Sirius looked to them and then James confusedly. "How? Those doors are magic-proof. Unless Harry had a key."

  He looked to Libby with narrowed eyes.

  Harry looked at a fear-stricken Libby. "The door was open when I got there. Didn't need a key or my wand."

  At this, Sirius's face softened just a little. "Libby, how is that?"

  Libby looked away in guilt. "I had to see the stars before I went to bed, I must have left the door open."

  Sirius's face completely softened. "Libby, what if, instead of Harry, some kidnapper had come along? You need to be more careful."

  Libby looked down at her feet. "Yes, sir."

  Now both men looked to Harry. "What were _you_ doing, going into Libby's room?" Sirius asked.

  "You probably scared her out of her wits." James interjected.

  Harry and Libby tried not to snort.

  "Sirius, Libby and you can leave. I need to talk to my son." James said, in the most regal voice Harry had ever heard. It sort of boomed.

  Harry gulped and Libby shot him an apologetic look as Sirius led her out of the room.

  "Now, Harry, I know that girls are.. Tempting." James said slowly, and Harry was confused. "But Libby, she's so innocent.."

  Harry wanted to snort. It didn't seem as if either Libby, Lady Black or not, could even pass off innocent. _Guess I'm wrong._

  "And you need not tarnish her reputation or your own. So please, when you get tempted to 'talk' to her at night, just owl her. Please." James asked, standing up. "Now, I must get back to your mother."

  Harry raised his eyebrows, got up and went back to his room.

  "Smooth move, Potter." Someone drawled behind him as the children and teenagers congregated in Libby's room, sitting anywhere from the chairs to the ottomans to the sofas to the floor. It seemed, to Libby at least, that this was a tradition. The breakfast tray came in and Draco smirked at the tousle-haired prince as he walked in. "We heard about your little 'rendevous'. We heard Libby got the 'innocence' speech."

  Harry chuckled and threw himself into Libby's previously occupied chair. She looked at him, one eyebrow raised disapprovingly and went to get herself some coffee.

  "Mind getting me a cup, love?" Harry called after her, and the boys chortled. Libby put her hands on her royal-blue-chenille-covered hips.

  "Do I look like your bloody wait staff?" She snapped, rolling her eyes and then pouring herself a cup of coffee.

  Draco snorted and mouthed, "Feisty."

  Harry rolled his eyes and Libby handed him a cup.

  "Hypocrite." Ruby joked, propping her feet up on the Queen Anne's table. "Ah, this table brought us many memories."

  James raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Many.

  Harry and Libby took it as their cue to force a blush. Libby tilted her head to one side, inspecting the dark wood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Come on, Harry! It's YOUR turn." The boys encouraged.

  "I cannot believe we're doing something so Muggle." Libby muttered and Harry leaned over the table to spin the bottle.

  Libby turned away in disgust as the boys kept their eyes open and their fingers crossed. Ruby and Reggie were chanting, too. Libby crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

  All of a sudden, the sound of the old wine bottle scraping against her favorite table stopped and there was a soft gasp from everyone. Libby sighed and turned to her brother. "What, does he have to kiss you?"

  And then she looked down at the table, her eyes widening. The neck of the bottle was pointing straight at her.

  A soft moan escaped Libby's lips, but her sickened face was quickly masked by a snobby one. She got up, arms still crossed, and turned on her heel towards her boudoir.

  "Well? What are you waiting for?" She demanded. "We have to get this over with."

  Harry shot them all a look that clearly said, 'Help me.'

  Harry shut the door of Libby's boudoir after him. She was sitting on a dressing room chair and looked positively bored.

  "How do you want to do this?" Harry asked slowly.

  She rolled her eyes. "On this table, on my back, with Ab Fab in the background."

  Harry looked at her quizzically.

  "How else? Normal, no tongue, quick." Libby commanded, getting up. "Stand in front of me."

  "You sound like you've done this before." Harry muttered, but obeyed her command.

  "Wouldn't you like to know?" Libby retorted with a coy smile. She placed her hands on his shoulder blades, close to his neck.

  "We probably want your hair.." He trailed off and pushed back her hair.

  "Thanks." She whispered, and he moved his hands hesitantly down towards her hips. 

  He scooped his head to meet her lips and a spark made Libby jump slightly.

  She had kissed him on the nose.

  He chuckled as her cheeks filled with color.

  "Why don't we try that again?" Libby asked softly, and this time, she leaned in and planted a firm kiss on his lips.

  The action took Harry by surprise and he opened his mouth, his eyes widening.

  _Have it your way._ Libby thought, and slipped her tongue in.

  _Things are getting really carried away._ Harry thought as his own tongue battled with hers. _Who am I to stop it?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Libby broke out of her trance, shaking her head violently.

  "What's wrong, love?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowed a bit.

  Libby shook her head. "Nothing, Harry."


	11. On the Journey Back To Hogwarts

  "Damn." James muttered as everyone gathered around Libby's coffee table for a quick breakfast. "Back to Hogwarts means back to bodyguards."

  "Bodyguards?" Libby asked sleepily.

  "Hot damn, Libby, you're so forgetful these days." Ruby murmured angrily. She took a sip of coffee. "Sorry, love. You know I'm a grump without the coffee."

  "Eh, that's what James loves about you." Draco muttered as he swaggered in behind Harry. "Hogwarts, oh, regal Hogwarts! Let me come to thee and bless thee with my presence."

  "Hah." Godric muttered. 

  "Oh, you know, Libby. The few of us have to have bodyguards, especially you." Reggie reminded her with a somewhat concerned, yet amused look upon her face. "Ruby's not the only one who needs coffee in the morning, I see."

  Libby looked around. "Aren't quite a few of us missing?"

  "Hit her with a huge shot of coffee, Harry. For Morgana Le Faye's sake, she's forgotten. We're the important people, Libs. We're the ones who need protection." Draco muttered, pouring the coffee cup himself. "You'd think you had bloody Alzheimer's."

  "With her mood swings.." James whispered and Libby, after taking a sip, threw her coffee in his face.

  James sat in sheer shock at the audacity of his fifteen-minutes-younger sister. And then began chasing her around the room.

  Draco and Reggie exchanged puzzled looks, and Ruby and Harry watched with amusement until Libby dove behind Harry for protection.

  James sort of froze. His little sister, who, though had been seriously dating Harry for about two years, had always been headstrong and independent. And, if she was dependent on anyone, it was _him_.

  Nobody knew why James had stopped running, hell, Libby began peeking out from behind Harry's shoulder, her hands still resting on his shoulder blades. 

  "Jamie, love, you alright?" Ruby asked slowly, getting out of her chair. Quite passively, James stomped out of the room, and Ruby ran after him, casting an apologizing glance back to Libby and Harry.

  Draco tore his eyes away from the door for a moment. "Regina, a word with you, please."

  Libby stood up. "Please."

  Draco stood up properly. "Yes, Libs?"

  Libby looked down at silent, amazed Harry and back to Draco. "Please, whatever you need to say, go ahead."

  Reggie sort of shook her head disapprovingly. "Um, Libby, why don't I talk to you in the boudoir. Let's make sure we didn't leave anything. What about that music box of yours? Did you use it while you were doing your hair?"

  Libby, confused, looked from Harry to Reggie and hesitantly got up and followed Reggie to her boudoir.

  "Libby, James is pursuing Ruby. Officially. Comes out in the papers tomorrow." Reggie said slowly as Libby placed a few things into the box.

  Libby's face scrunched up in confusion. "And why is that such a big deal?"

  Reggie gripped Libby on her forearms. "Like you and Harry, this is a done deal."

  Libby thought about it for a moment. And then it struck her. "They're getting married?"

  Reggie nodded slowly.

  "Well, what's the big deal?" Libby asked. "James adores Ruby. Worships her almost."

  Reggie sort of looked a bit sick to deliver the news. "While you and Harry were off gallivanting yesterday.."

  Libby grinned guiltily at this. She and Harry had been goofing off, reenacting their now infamous rendezvous for Draco, Rhett, Reggie and Harry's siblings, minus a few of the racier details.

  "Supposedly James, your father and His Majesty had worked out this whole deal and as happy as Ruby is to actually know who she's been hooked onto.. She basically told James that she didn't love him and didn't think she ever could." Reggie said in one breath. Libby gasped.

  "Jamie must be devastated." She murmured. Hell, this young man _was_ her brother, after all. This was the young man that would have grown up by her side.

  "He's used to being irresistible, and naturally, his Veela temper.. Fortunately not the same side effects, but.." Reggie trailed off. "Harry's going to get really excited about the pairing, and really angry at the.. Trouble."

  Libby nodded, closing the music box. "I'll handle Harry."

  "WHAT?"

  Libby rolled her eyes. "It seems as if I'm already needed."

  "Okay, we've arrived in London and we're going to designate pairs, except for Godric.. He's with a bodyguard only. Regina and Harry, Draco and Liberty, James and Ruby." Rock, who seemed to be the head of their bodyguards, announced. "After that, I want Harry and Liberty in their Prefects' car, James and Regina in their Prefects' car, and the rest of you, Draco and Godric in a car with your bodyguards, and Ruby, you'll be with Virginia Weasley in another car."

  "We're Prefects." Libby whispered. 

  "This sure is an alternate universe." Harry replied softly and Libby giggled.

  "Hey! You two! Save the lovey-dovey stuff for the train. You're making a spectacle out of yourselves." Rock commanded, then handing Draco a tabloid. "Okay, you two are the first to go. I leave you in the skilled hands of Thatcher and Bob."

  Draco snorted and offered Libby his arm. "Don't you worry, Potter won't get jealous."

  Libby scowled at him and he laughed, looking at the paper in his hands. "Nice."

  Libby leaned over and looked at it and was shocked to find that during the mere moments when Harry and her had been arguing with her balcony door open, someone had managed to take a rather romantic picture of the pair of them smiling and sort of chatting, perhaps. It truly was a rather pleasant photo.

  "Well?" Draco asked as he slipped an arm around her waist.

  She looked at him with a confused, somewhat shocked face.

  "It's getting suspicious that we're walking through a train station, obviously unrelated and deep in conversation about a photo of you with another boy. Just.. Make it seem like you're some sort of foreign celebrity and I'm your not so happy boyfriend." Draco muttered and Libby looked back to Thatcher and Bob, who had somehow mingled in the crowd and weren't at all thrown by Draco's gestures.

  "Oh, vut, darlink, it is onlee a movie, yah?" Libby said loudly in a horrendous Swedish accent.

  "Vut, Livvy, you two look avully close." Draco responded in a similar nature.

  Libby's eyes surveyed the room, and her eyes fell on Harry's face, so pensive and quiet as he and Reggie made their way through the crowd. The trouble was, it seemed, that the Potters and Reggie had so many famous Muggle relations, that it was hard for them to go through a crowd without recognition. Libby smiled affectionately at the sight of a little girl, maybe about eight, pointing at him with her friends, ooohing and aaahing at the sight of the very handsome billionaire. Suddenly she longed to be by his side and whispering in his ear about pointless, silly things, like her favorite Quidditch team or an article about her in Witch Weekly. But a look of discontentment shadowed her face. It troubled her that she was falling for the very boy who she had hated just three days before. But the instant he caught sight of her, frowning at her discontentment but amused nonetheless, sending her a sly and somehow sexy look that made her giggle and blush.

  She turned away, and it still concerned her that he was so much better at this masquerade when she had been pretending all her life.

  "You're still not over it yet." Draco commented as they waited for their luggage to be loaded onto a cart. Libby was shaken out of her reverie and she turned to face him solemnly.

  "What?" She asked softly, the soft smile still on her face, but the dark logic in her eyes.

  "You're not over the fact that you're promised to him, and the only other non-related person you've kissed is me, on a dare when we were _seven_. Libs, whether you know it or not, you love him and you're growing to fall in love with him. I know that beyond lust and affection for your brother's best friend, you don't think it's much, but it's starting, you know." Draco said wisely, patting her hooked arm with his free hand. "I couldn't have made a better match myself."

  Libby looked at him with.. Awed admiration. "You're my best friend, right?"

  "I sure hope so." Draco said, mockingly offended.

  Libby settled her head on his shoulder for a moment. "Good."

  "She's been staring at me." Harry commented with a confused look.

  Reggie giggled. "She's falling in love with you."

  Harry's concerned scowl darkened. "Wasn't she already?"

  Reggie shot him a look of apologizing amusement. "She lusted after you, and she certainly loved you.. As her brother's best friend and a close friend of her own. But Harry, only over the last few days has she begun to actually stare at you with affection, as if you amused her and scared her all at the same time."

  She continued to mutter about boys and being daft.

  Harry glanced back at her, and his scowl twisted his features even more. She was leaning on Draco, talking with an air of ingenuousness that, for once, suited her.

  "Don't get jealous, Harry. They're best friends, and Draco has his eye on Ginger." Reggie commented, not even looking up. "Let's face it, you, too are falling in love with her. For you, it's been sheer lust and awe and now.. Now you're warming up to each other."

  Harry's features softened as Draco, who seemed to be chatting with her, looked at her with only his peripheral vision and with the same naïveté she possessed. It was almost as if _they_ were brother and sister rather than she and James.. But he supposed that even in this world, Libby held hostility to the males that took away her father's affection.

  Ruby, though she was the royalty, kept a distance of five steps behind James. She was ashamed that she couldn't have.. Spared his feelings. It wasn't that he wasn't attractive.. Hell, he was extremely attractive. But, she was only fourteen. How could she be promised to someone that didn't even have the nerve to ask her out?

  But he had his reasons for being upset. According to what Reggie and Libby told her, hell, according to what everyone told her, James was in love with her, worshipped her, and had her on a pedestal.

  "He would give his family jewels for you." Libby had crudely commented the week before when rumors began to fly through the staff. 

  Ruby had blushed and told her to shut up. Why her? Why couldn't James, who easily fit into the entire magical world's most eligible bachelors list towards the top, with Harry, Draco, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George Weasley, choose someone else? He had girls throwing themselves at his feet and at the feet of his friends just to get closer to him. Many had suckered up to Ruby, more than they had simply because she was a princess. James was used to being irresistible. He practically was irresistible. Just not to her.

  He was quite handsome, she'd willingly admit. His eyes were deep-set and dark around the edges, but they were blue nonetheless. Her own eyes were blue, playful, sparkling blue like her father's. But James's were brooding and deep, like the Hogwarts lake at night. His hair was the jet black of Harry's, except Harry's had green undertones and James's had blue. He was muscular and tanned and he shared her love for Quidditch, flying and books.

  She let out a soft groan of despair. He idolized her, treated her like a goddess. They had so much in common and he certainly was one of the most attractive people she had ever seen. Why couldn't she love him?

  James turned around, his anger still seething. But his angel.. She was a bit more unhappy than she would be had she simply felt guilt. As irritating as the sound was, it was also a sign of surrender. Angrily, he stalked closer to her, grabbed at her face gently and pulled it closer to his, planting a furious kiss on her lips.

  "There, now be quiet." He ordered, and her hurt shock made his facial features soften. "Oh, come on."

  He offered his hand to her and she intertwined her fingers with his. His hand was warm, she noted. He was still angry, but the gentle firmness of his grip told her all she needed to know for the moment.

  "Okay, people! Pair up and if you weren't listening, God save you!" Rock shouted over the noise, and people waved jovially in the teenagers' direction.

  James let go of Ruby's hand quickly as he walked away, not even looking back at her, and meeting up with Reggie and another pair of prefects, and their two bodyguards went with them.

  Draco and Libby parted with smiles, Draco had reassured her that Harry wouldn't hurt her and he left with Godric, one of Godric's pals, and, to Harry and Libby's shock, Ron Weasley.

  "Hello, Harry! Heard about the engagement, congrats, old chap! You got her all to yourself, now!" He said with a wink, and Bob and Godric's bodyguard followed them.

  Fred, George, Lee and some other guy waved as they boarded, Ruby meet up with Virginia 'Ginger' Weasley, Hermione Granger and another girl, presumably from Ravenclaw.

  That left Rock, Thatcher, Harry and Libby. Thatcher handed the pair their prefect badges, and Harry's, much to Libby's amusement, had a crown over his.

  "Show off." She whispered and he grinned sheepishly.

  "You two have a car to yourselves, and we'll be outside." Rock said in a slightly softer tone than before. "I'm so proud to be serving Your Highnesses."

  Harry swore he saw a tear in Rock's eye, but ignored it. 

  "We'll take your things on board." Thatcher murmured, and Rock led them onto the train.

  Libby slightly jumped as Harry's hand softly touched the small of her back. He gently replaced it and they smiled for the people around them, Harry nodding his head with approval at just about everyone, and Libby held back a giggle.

  "Congratulations, Libertia." One older woman commented. "My Neville, although he is not of your house, said you are worthy of the crown. My, my, you do have the grace of your future mother-in-law. I remember when she was just a wee girl, younger than you."

  Libby put on a dignified smile and leaned over towards Harry, nestling her head on his shoulder, far more lovingly, he noted, than she had to Draco. "Hello."

  "Hi." He whispered back. She let out a barely audible giggle of modest, a slight flush gracing her cheeks. She bit her lower lip in what seemed embarrassed flirtation. He ducked his head slightly, turning to whisper in her ear as they continued to search for a compartment. "What have you been _seeing_ lately?"

  Libby thought of their first kiss in her boudoir. She had to stand on her tiptoes to whisper, and she knew someone would flash a photo which should look awfully romantic. "I've seen… James's reaction to our relationship.. How you gave me my music box.. And our first kiss."

  Harry kept his gaze straight ahead, though Libby could clearly see him raise one eyebrow in interest and smile coyly.

  Seamus Finnigan passed by, without Dean Thomas for once, and winked in their direction. "There's an empty compartment next to mine, Harry, Libs."

  Libby murmured some thanks before rushing them onto the train.

  Draco Frost was restless. Godric, Ron and Godric's friend Christian were chatting animatedly about Quodpot and Draco found it easy to duck out of their compartment. Now all he had to find was Ruby's bodyguard in order to find.. Ginger.

  Ginger Weasley plagued his thoughts through every vacation. Many drew a comparison between her and Ruby, both being redheaded Gryffindors with a temper. But there was a severe difference, Draco knew, or else he would have had his way with Ruby by now, just for redemption.

  Ginger, for one, was a very fair girl. Smaller, too. The Potters had a history of being regally tall, so Ruby was a good half a head taller than Ginger. Their eyes were also a strikingly different color. Ginger's eyes were a dark, sultry brown, and Ruby's were a playful blue. They also made their faces up differently. Ruby had a tendency to put light, sparkling shadows on her eyelids and had her lashes combed and separated, with a dark pink gloss on her lips. Ginger, instead, wore smoky brown colors with black eyeliner, curled but full lashes, and a matte, subtle peach tone on her lips. Ruby wore layers of sheer pastels, Ginger stuck to jewel tones of chenille. Ruby liked Quidditch, Ginger liked Quodpot. Ruby stuck to her books, Ginger didn't like to study. Ruby liked ballroom dancing, perhaps even the tango. But Ginger liked to go clubbing, and was excellent at meringue, salsa, flamenco.. Any of the Latin dances and swing. Both were overshadowed by one or more brothers, but still shone for their temper, their beauty, their dignity and their intelligence.

  He nodded his head at Ruby's bodyguard, leaving his own five feet behind. He slid the door of their compartment open and leaned in the doorway casually. "Ladies, how are we today?"

  Hermione and Patricia blushed, Ruby rolled her eyes and Ginger, Ginger merely smirked at him. She and Ruby were oblivious to his charms, supposedly. 

  "What do you want, Frost? Not enough room in my brother's compartment for four boys and your ego?" Ruby asked, not even looking up from her magazine, but he could tell she was joking.

  "What makes you think I didn't just want to come here for the pleasure of your company, Your Highness? I _lust_ after you." Draco joked, standing up and walking over to the seat where Ruby and Ginger sat, squeezing between them.

  "Oh, no, not another one." Ruby joked. "You're physically taking up too much room, Draco. Guess that's why they kicked you out."

  "Any of you are free to help give us space." Draco joked, patting his knee invitingly. "Actually, when I left, Christian, Godric and Ron were in a spirited conversation about Quodpot. Godric, Dite and Jadelyn went to New York City for the holiday."

  Ginger got up and obliged his request, throwing her arms around his neck casually and began conversing with everyone as if she was still sitting squeezed in her seat. "Quodpot.. My favorite! I love how things explode."

  "Rather uncivilized, don't you think?" Hermione asked timidly, and Ginger laughed. 

  "Not all of us are princesses." She quipped with a smirk. "Some of us would settle for Draco here."

  Draco raised an eyebrow, turning to face Ginger. "Settle? I'll have you know I made the most eligible bachelor's list once again. Number four. Lost the third spot to your brother Bill."

  Ginger pinched his cheek playfully. "Aw, maybe next year, love."

  Draco put on the pained puppy face. "Still hurts."

  Ginger planted a loud smack on his cheek. "All better."

  He smirked at her. "Not yet."

  She shook a finger at him playfully. "Nuh-uh, Sir Draco. Naughty, naughty."

  Sliding his arms around her waist, he whispered, "You know it."

  Neville Longbottom, the Ravenclaw, settled in his seat in James Black's compartment, flipping through an album of headlines. "Your sister and Harry sure are tearing up the papers. Muggle and magic. Billionaire son of Lily Evans-Potter dating schoolmate, daughter of foreign dignitary Liberty Black. Gryffindor Minister of Magic's daughter dating Gryffindor prince. It's getting serious, isn't it?"

  "Neville," Reggie began curtly. "They're getting married a year after grad."

  Neville's mouth dropped open and James nodded, but quickly returned to brooding. Mandy Brocklehurst, the final Ravenclaw set to join them, skipped in with treats. "Here." They all took a snack cake. "James, I heard about your sister's engagement. Congratulations!" 

  James grunted some sort of reply and Reggie rolled her eyes.

  "Don't mind him, Mandy." She insisted. "Troubles in paradise."

  Mandy looked surprised. "Perfect James Black, number two on the most eligible bachelors' list, part-Veela with Quidditch, money, grades, personality and of course, those looks? Troubled?"

  Reggie nodded. "And for once, he's not being melodramatic."

  James scowled at her, but then looked out the window again. "It's a long story, Mandy."

  Reggie mouthed, "Ruby."

  The other two nodded understandingly. Everyone in the Ravenclaw house knew that James Black, definitely one of the school's most popular boys, and for good reason, liked Ruby Potter. It never bothered anybody except for himself. "Just let me brood, okay?"

  Reggie shrugged and turned back to her magazine, smirking at the photo of James posing in a cool, somewhat meditative façade. "Pre-Ruby, definitely."

  "Well, it was a game of spin the bottle." Libby finished in a low voice, straddling his lap. "You opened your mouth in surprise.. And there I was, making out with you with my brother and all of our friends just five feet away."

  "Tell me more.." Harry whispered, and the slamming open of their compartment door made Libby jump in surprise and land on her back on the floor.

  "Jesus, could you two quit it?" Seamus Finnigan asked as he sat down next to Harry. Dean helped Libby up and she settled in the seat across from Harry's next to the window, with Dean at her side. "Everywhere you two are snogging. The library.."

  "The Common Room.." Dean added playfully.

  "The Great Hall, the Entrance Hall, class, the Quidditch field, your dormitory, our dormitory, for Merlin's sake, just sit on your hands and keep your lips to yourself!" Seamus scolded.

  Dean crossed his arms. "So, Seamus, how's Reggie doing?"

  Seamus blushed and turned away, muttering. Libby and Harry burst out into laughter.

  "We came in because it was too quiet. Normally you two are yelling your heads off or.. Snogging." Dean said with a teasing smirk. "What, Potter, not working the good old royal charm?"

  Harry grinned sheepishly, causing Libby to shoot him a glare, and then, as if he were a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar, he said, "Nah, it's rather Libby hasn't started working the Marauder charm.. I know I'm irresistible, but, geez, Libby, you don't have to throw yourself at me."

  Libby's eyes darkened. "Oh, I'll throw myself at you."

  "Okay, okay, break it up. Things are back to normal, I see. But we're not sure we can leave you two alone." Seamus proclaimed regally. "As future Head Boy…"

  "HAH!" Dean interjected, and Seamus ignored him.

  "As future Head Boy, I can't allow these PDAs to go on." Seamus said, turning his nose up in the air.

  "There is no affection to publicly display, Mister Finnigan." Libby said in a level tone.

  Seamus smirked. "We'll see if next week's copy of Witch Weekly will prove otherwise."


	12. Bejeweled Fluff

  Libby was suddenly struck with an idea. "Seamus, I'm hungry. Got any snack cakes?"

  She knew, of course, that he didn't. Seamus was never a Wizard Scout. And, knowing Dean, he'd tag along with to go fetch something.

  "Gee, Libs. Just because you're getting married to some.." Seamus just burst out laughing before finishing his sentence.

  Libby raised one eyebrow, somewhat perplexed by his insanity. He smiled, holding back more, as Dean pushed him out of the compartment.

  "Going back to how we were…" Harry whispered, moving into the seat next to her. She rolled her eyes.

  "Harry, I just thought of something." And, at his coy smile, scowled. "Not that kind of something."

  Harry raised his eyebrows and looked away, crossing his arms and mumbling something about her reverting back to the old Libby.

  "If we're here, than whose at Hogwarts in our place?" She retorted, and it sort of struck him. 

  "Wow. I'm surprised they haven't latched on to each other's faces." Dean said as Seamus slid the door open. They sat down and handed the silent couple snack cakes.

  Libby nibbled on a few different ones, avoiding the Every-Flavor Beans, and was finally fed up with Harry's lack of any sort of answer. She stood up, stormed over to the compartment door, and slammed it behind her. 

  James looked up from his brooding when someone slammed his compartment door behind them. His infuriated sister… Weren't they lucky the Veela did not come out in them when they were upset? His infuriated sister was simply seething, and she sat down promptly between him and Neville. It was damned lucky that James and Libby were so lean, else Neville would be entirely squished.

  "That damn Harry Potter!" Libby shrieked, and instantly, she exhaled a deep breath. "That was somewhat relieving."

  "Another lover's spat?" Reggie asked wisely, not looking up from her magazine and absentmindedly handing one to Libby."

  "No." Libby retorted with a scowl, but then thought about it. "Yes." But they weren't really lovers, so it didn't make sense. "Maybe."

  "What about this time? What, is he not giving you enough plays in Quidditch?" James asked, his arm around his sister's shoulder comfortingly.

  Libby hesitated. She certainly couldn't tell them the real reason. "I don't remember."

  Reggie snorted and Libby narrowed her eyes. "But it was important."

  "I'll bet, Libertia… Come on, sweets." James coaxed. Just read your magazine."

  Libby opened it up, and number one on the most eligible bachelors list, was of course, her knight in shining Quidditch robes.

  In a frenzied fervor, she closed the magazine with more power than required for the flimsy thing, nearly ripping it's cover off. "THAT DAMN HARRY POTTER!"

  "Things are back to normal." Reggie whispered.

    "I think we're the last ones off." James muttered as he, Libby and Reggie struggled to keep up with Neville and Mandy.

  "Oh, nonsense." Libby hissed, though she, too, also fell out of step. "Jesus, Jamie, wait up!"

  _Damn robes_. She tripped slightly near the door, but regained herself to full height and looked up at the entire populous of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts combined waiting for her.

  _Oh, here goes the contagious clap, starting out with Draco, of course. How Muggle teen movie._ As sarcastic as her brain seemed, the contagious clap was really getting to her. Sort of struck her with awe.

  "Isn't she lovely?" Fred, George and Lee crooned, having somehow managed to get old-fashioned microphones and doo-wop costumes. "Isn't she wonderful?"

  "Did I win something?" She whispered to herself, knowing that this really just shouldn't be about Harry.

  But it was, because bewildered Harry emerged behind Seamus and Dean only three compartments down. At this, Libby curtsied, so her rolling eyes were hidden by her tumbling curls. She waited for Neville, Mandy, James and Reggie to ease into the crowd before sprinting off to the castle.

  "This is insanity." She murmured, removing her Prefect badge hastily, stuffing it into the pocket of her jeans. She tugged her Hogwarts robes off, made of silk, by Lily's insistence. Why this hadn't made so many of the independent Potter women go into hiding was beyond her.

  "Where's Libby?" Harry asked Seamus as a rowdy bunch of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw boys led him into Three Broomsticks. Seamus looked around and didn't spot her.

  "Probably doing girl stuff. Hair and the like." Seamus said loudly, not trying too hard to be heard over the noise.

  "Congratulations, Harry Potter!" Madam Rosmerta said jovially. "You and Miss Libby must come in and have a drink on me."

  Harry's eyes scanned the crowd. All the girls who Libby could possibly befriend were here. Even Draco was here. "All her friends are here."

  "Geez, Potter, you're getting a little liberty from… Liberty. Enjoy yourself." Seamus shouted.

  Harry lost himself in his own world. What Libby had said on the train was right, what had happened at Hogwarts? Was time still passing there, was McGonagall in trouble? Were their alter egos there? What if their alter egos weren't there and Ron, Hermione, Reggie and Ginny were missing them terribly? Well, Ron wouldn't miss Libby, but…

  It just occurred to him that there might be a Voldemort in this world. After all, if his parents weren't dead… 

  Harry rushed to the gentlemen's room and lifted his bangs to reveal his forehead. No scar.

  And with Libby all by herself…

  Harry rushed out of there, through the crowd and into the night.

     Libby sat in the Common Room idily braiding her curls, the password now changed… By an elder prefect, probably Lee, to Harry Loves Libby. She had two separate French braids both beautifully halfway done. The not so straight strands seemed to flow and weave into each other with the grace of silk. With some careful searching, she had managed to find a few diamond beads, most likely a Christmas gift from Ruby, and a few star sapphire beads, more likely a gift from James. Clutching her wand, she secured it all in place and did an Anti-Frizz charm.

  Someday, she decided, she'd do that to her own children. If she didn't find a way back, they'd be _Harry's_ children, too, but she could manage to share. If they had her blue eyes, they'd get sapphires and pearls. If they had Harry's green eyes, they'd get emeralds and diamonds. If, perchance, the red hair had skipped a generation, she'd probably put in rubies just for a joke.

  Now that her hair was done, she idily toyed with a spare jewel bead, no doubt one that Harry had added to her collection. It was a large ruby, intended to be the crowning glory on any hair-do or necklace, or hell, even her charm bracelet.

  She seemed to be quite popular here. In the dormitory, there were a great number of pictures of her smiling with lots of different girls and boys, and her bed was definitely the fanciest, the inside of the curtains decorated with all her mementos and her name. It was a wonder she had made it through that crowd without an inkling of congrats.

  One thing she thought of was Cho Chang. Even in the other world, Ron teased Harry about being enamored with her. Well, that just wouldn't do, she thought hotly.

  "It wouldn't do and it won't." Libby said to herself in an obviously angry voice.

  "I'm sorry, Libs, you know I'm slow." A male voice boomed behind her and she nearly jumped eight feet in the air.

  "Harry James Potter, if you ever sneak behind me like that ever again, your royal jewels will be…" Libby trailed off and her features softened. "Well, we can't really do much about it tonight, can we?"

  Harry shook his head, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. Libby rolled her eyes with an amused look on her face. "See you at supper."

  Libby coyly took the two ends of her braids together as she watched him leave.

   "What is it with girls and hanging in groups… You'd have to have a leash on them to chat privately." Harry murmured absentmindedly at supper. Libby was on the _other_ end of the table, most likely torturing him if the ten minutes of careful thought he had gone through hadn't been enough. For Merlin's sake, she couldn't have THAT many girlfriends. There was Lavender, Parvati, Padma, Mandy Brocklehurst, Reggie, Hermione, Ginny, Ruby, Patricia, GOOD LORD!

  "Oh, Libby, I _adore_ your hair!" One of them squealed. "How did you get so many jewels?"

  Ruby chattered on about the diamonds, and Hermione interjected about the rare Orion Star Sapphire mine that belonged to Libby's mother's family and that she and James had inherited it. 

  "But what about that ruby?" One other girl asked, and Parvati, in her bitchiest tone (some things never change) answered that Harry had given it to her just as a make-up gift.

  "Speaking of, are they in a fight again?" Lavender asked Reggie, not Libby.

  Reggie rolled her eyes. "They're always in a fight."

  "Well, she's not too mad at you. Normally she doesn't wear any of your gifts when she's pissed." Dean commented, taking another bite of whatever was on his plate. "Did you kiss and make-up?"

  "Is there really any other way for them to make up?" Draco interjected, and the Gryffindor boys exchanged a look.

  "Nah."

  "So, we're going to Lion's Den for a bit of entertainment tonight, right?" Ron whispered. "We promise you won't get caught, Harry."

  "I asked all the girls except Libby if they were going, and no doubt she'll go." Draco added, knowing that if Prince Harry Potter was at all hesitant about partying, Libby would surely be good bait.

  "Whatever." Harry murmured as Libby turned her head, the shimmering light that caught on her bejeweled hair casting a glow around her. She smiled at him coyly, and winked. "Fine."

  "I hate it when she does that." Someone behind them muttered, and it was a very concerned-looking James with Neville not too far behind him. "She's just asking to stand out. She's just asking for someone to go up and yank her hair out."

  "You're not one to talk, Black. I remember a certain platinum watch embedded with the Orion Star Sapphires." Draco quipped in Libby's defense. "And she usually only does it on special occasions. What, are you taking her virginity tonight, Potter?"

  Harry blinked at Draco's audacity. Sure, he was a friend. _Libby's_ friend.

  Libby removed the charms and beads from her hair, dropping the precious jewels into her music box, which she was sure could never be opened. Her hair softly crimped and curled and she looked through her closet for the best party clothing. She had known about the Lion's Den a long while ago, but was never daring enough to try to sneak out with Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter hating her. Whatever they did, it was pretty sneaky.

  The silver shiny pants or the black… Silver, definitely. She paired it with a blue top and took the silver key out of her music box… It would be the perfect compliment. Ruby and herself would throw on dressing robes and say that all the girls' bathrooms were out and they really had to go, perchance they got caught. They'd leave their robes in the passageway and come back and fetch them.

  Perfect. Now, if Harry could at least pretend he knew how to dance…

  Harry was glad he had to lie low, because this club… As fun and amazing as it seemed, was absolutely nuts.

  And, judging by her behavior on the dance floor, Libby was quite used to teen clubs.

  She did happen to simmer down the sensuality Harry knew she had and hammed it up instead. She was making sure he wasn't jealous, for sure.

  How come he didn't know about his place? Certainly because just a few extra people were alive and dead didn't mean that culture stopped, did it?

  "Come on, Harry." Libby urged over the noise.

  James nudged Seamus. "Oh, look, Libs is trying to get him to dance."

  Seamus snorted. "Harry doesn't know anything but ballroom."

  "And he's stubborn as hell." Ron interjected.

  "Not even Libby could do it." Neville squeaked.

  "I don't know." Dean said doubtfully.

  "Libby's awfully convincing." Draco reminded them. "Especially about dancing."

  "DJ!" Libby shouted over the noise. "Something… Latin!"

  She had dragged Harry to the center of the dance floor and now placed his hands on a dangerously low position on her hips. Her lower arms rested limply on his shoulders and she began teaching him, with some success, a mix of salsa, flamenco and tango.

  After one dance, however large his smile was, Harry went back to the boys, and the girls took over the dance floor, putting their own sexy interpretation on the Latin medley Libby had taught him.

  "Amazing." Ron muttered. "Whipped."

  The next day, amazing as it was, Harry and Libby had been separated for an entire morning. At lunch, the entire gang of them, the boys, the girls, and even a few of the younger teachers, gathered in the Entrance Hall for their meal. Libby sat, leaning against a wall, next to Harry.

  "That's really bothering me." Libby whispered as one more strand of his hair fell down into his eyes. Putting her sandwich down, she decided to run her French-manicured through his hair and sort it out. A few moments later, she sat back, clearly satisfied. 

  "Potter, what is with the hair?" Draco asked as he and Ron joined them. 

  "Looks good, Harry." Parvati complimented breathily, and Libby's face grew hot.

  "Yeah, it's all of Libby's work." Harry said offhandedly. "She's a goddess with hair. She could help you with yours."

  Parvati gasped and stood up, obviously offended. "For your information, Harry Potter, there is…" She squeaked, "NOTHING wrong with my hair."

  She left in a huff, and Libby giggled. "You are such a boy."

  "Thanks?" He asked, turning to her. She had a small dab of mayonnaise next to her mouth, and he wiped it away with his thumb.

  "Aw, things are so tame. Normally we get a full-on peep show and today it's just grooming." Seamus said, his voice full of false disappointment.

  "Yeah, I want my money back." Ron quipped. The group burst into soft chuckles, and Harry and Libby turned away with red faces. "Eh, wonder how their wedding will be like. Peep show?"

  "Gross, Ron, you have NO sense of romance!" Hermione squeaked, the most Libby had heard her say in the past day.

  "Here, here!" Ginny added, and Ron tossed the crust of his sandwich at her. She retorted with a splash of her drink. Naturally, a food fight began, and Harry came out the least affected, escaping after Libby wiped her mayo-covered slice of bread across his cheek. Libby, however, was not so lucky. Someone splashed pumpkin juice on her robes and her blazer, causing her to remove them. After that, she got out, untucking her school blouse and loosening her tie.

  "I look like a mess." She muttered as Harry escorted her (leading the entourage) to Potions.

  "You look extremely attractive." Harry retorted, as if ending her rant. He didn't.

  "What would you know?" She whispered, checking her backside. She wasn't the only one.

  "I know. Trust me." Harry said, cupping her cheek so she was looking at him, not her butt. "There's nothing there but a nicely shaped butt."

  Libby smirked at him, raising one eyebrow. He flushed and she walked ahead. "I'll get our seats."

  She opened the dungeon door, and instead of Professor Snape sitting in the back of the classroom, a familiar-looking attractive woman smirked evilly back at her.

  It was Aphrodite St. Clair.


	13. Unravel

  "Libby, I…" Harry began, but she put a finger to his lips, both seemingly absorbed in their note-taking. 

  "Don't speak. That's Aphrodite St. Clair." Libby whispered, looking up at their Potions professor, who was smirking back at them. Libby's head bent down and she went 'back to work'.

  "Tell me something I don't know." Harry muttered, a bit hurt.

  "She used to date your dad and despises your mother." Libby answered, sending him a quick look to shut up.

  The smirk on Aphrodite's face was not one of defense, but one of victory… Libby's head hurt as she tried to remember one time when the King and Queen had been together before her very eyes… And looking happy at the same time. Looking back at confused Harry, she decided that her little revelation was bit kept to herself.

  James couldn't have… No! 

  Her Majesty Queen Lily Potter felt a burning pain at the locket around her neck. The locket that had never opened unhooked itself and slid down her sleeve into her hand, where the heat just began to cool. In an eerie silence, it opened in her hand, revealing one picture of a burning Gryffindor palace and the other of an unhappy wedding portrait of her son and Libby.

  Lily snapped to attention, not even excusing herself from the women's luncheon and grabbing her traveling cloak. Libby was starting to unravel this master plan of hers, and soon, her unfaithful husband was going to die and her son would know the truth.

  Libby's heart hurt, and it was beating hard during the lesson. She wanted the pain to stop. She just wanted the pain to stop. She needed to get out of this lesson and get to the library.

  Hmm… What would get you kicked out of Potions?

  She nudged Harry and he turned, and she grabbed his face and pulled him into such a kiss that she ended up with her back on the stool. 

  "Lady Black and Your Highness!" Professor St. Clair snapped, and Parvati came to Harry's defense.

  "It was Lady Black that started the disgustingly public display of affection, Professor." Parvati said, acidly sweet.

   Aphrodite sent Libby a look.  "Write a pass." 

    Libby's head filled with ideas, and she carefully wrote in the handwriting that resembled the letters having graded her most recent Potions paper. She stood up and handed it to Aphrodite curtly, who signed it without looking down. "Go directly to Professor Dumbledore's office, Lady Black. Your father would have been proud."

  Libby got up from her seat and bounced over to Aphrodite's desk, giving her a bubbly smile and as she walked out of the dungeon, sent Harry a coy look.

  Simultaneously, the student body and the palace were in an uproar. The Queen was at Hogwarts, and the palace didn't know it.

  Libby was not one to obey orders from what she called 'Olympus's whore'. She looked down excitedly at her 'pass' and smiled widely.

  "Please allow Lady Liberty Black to check out all books from the Restricted Section pertaining to dimensional swaps and time warps. Professor Aphrodite St. Clair." She whispered allowed, and put on her most innocent face to begin what would change her and Harry's lives forever.

  "I am very sorry, Your Majesty, that we could not give you better accommodations at this hour… It's just that with your short notice, we could only give you your old room." The young Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, a handsome young American by the name of Sebastian Greenbaum, gushed, finding it hard to believe the rumors of King James' infidelities. The woman before him, at the young age of thirty-five, was indeed elegant, youthful, and most of all, beautiful.

  French-manicured fingertips reached to pull back the hood of her olive-green crushed velvet hood and swept off her sunglasses. Her world-weary, brilliant eyes scanned the room with a pained yet reminiscent fondness. "This will do, Professor. Thank you so much for taking me in at such late notice."

  He smiled at her soft, polite words. "Do call upon me when you wish to make an appointment with Professor Dumbledore."

  Her dark pink, glossy lips formed a sultry frown. "I shan't need an appointment."

  James Potter sank deeper into a mid-afternoon bubble bath, and though it hadn't been scheduled, he definitely needed it. Sirius had yelled at him yet again for continuing with his monstrously public affairs with lewd women, and Lily hadn't smiled at him in quite a long time. Hell, she hadn't put on a real smile in ages. 

  Harry and Libby were behaving beautifully, compared to just a few weeks before. Dumbledore, thankfully, had looked the other way with all their mischief, but the tabloids hadn't. Libby hated being with Harry and Harry hated being with Libby. Libby had been so often caught with foreign boys on her trips to Europe with her father, and Harry was not at all discreet about his own side dishes. In fact, James could clearly remember hearing them having a fight about who had more conquests. Even James Black, his godson and his namesake, had noticed a good change. Their friends had never liked their rebellious, wild ways, and it seemed as if Lily was the only one who publicly expressed her disappointment and her embarrassment.

  Sirius's final question during his lecture was something that James had been troubled with since he heard the simple words. "The only thing I have to ask is, why, James? You've got a beautiful wife who has been utterly devoted to you for over twenty years, who's sense of humor, strength, confidence and poise you often honestly praise and you go around with women who couldn't hold a match to her? Why?"

   Quite honestly, he didn't know. He couldn't even look at her without feeling sorry for holding her back all these years. She could've been the British Minister of Magic, or the most famous Quidditch player in the world, a popular designer, anything… And she was a Queen. A wife. A mother. And as much as that was, she had so much more in her. 

  And he cheated on her.

  James sank deeper into his bath, sighing in relaxation. A moment passed, and he wondered how long it would take someone to interrupt his temporary bliss.

  A heavy knock came at the door and James groaned, wishing he hadn't cursed himself. He pulled himself out of the bath and lightly dried himself, pulling on a dark blue silken robe that Lily had handmade. "Yes?"

  "Your Majesty, Her Majesty is missing."

   "Draco, Godric, James, Harry, Regina, Ruby, Ronan, Virginia, Ron, Hermione, but where's Libby?" Lily asked, not looking up from the countless amounts of papers she had to sign, her children and their friends seated in benches near her doorway. 

  "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, she's studying for her thesis. Odd, she's interested in dimensional swaps as well." Professor Greenbaum reported a surprised sigh. "Madam Pince brought me her excuse."

  Lily's eyes rose from behind her jeweled spectacles to look at Professor Greenbaum appraisingly. "Have her brought here."

  The professor gave Lily an odd look, but followed her command. Lily sighed in a slight panic after he closed the door. "Dear Lord, she's going to expose us all."


	14. Thicken

  Libby's dark-rimmed eyes scanned the page.

**Dimensional swaps have played a controversial role in magical science. Many refuse to believe that the theory of having several lives going on at all the same time is true, let alone believing that one alter ego can be switched from dimension to dimension. However, the theory is that the three dimensions, _primo_, _benito,_ and _lune_, all coexist with three different versions of each persona, with common denominators, such as parents, magical blood, nationality, etc. However, one or more heavy factors differ from dimension to dimension. Currently, we reside in _benito_. _Primo_ is the most basic, _lune_ is the most complex. **

**Dimensional swaps are when a very powerful witch or wizard or group of such powerful witches or wizards gets together and go through a very difficult process published in books of Olde Magik, the only set of books combining the mischief of Morgana LeFaye and the sheer genius of Merlin. These books are out of print and unavailable, but they map out the way to view others' alter egos and possibly bring them into this world with many memories of the other world. The only catch is**

  A hand placed itself on the page, and Libby looked up to see Professor Greenbaum standing regally above her. "Her Majesty is here and would like to see you."

  Libby nonchalantly glided her time warp book over the dimensional swaps book. "Yes, Professor Greenbaum." She closed the book underneath it and slipped both into her bag. "May I say how sharp you look today? Are those new robes?"

   "Where is she?" Lily demanded in a low voice snappily to her husband's mistress, Aphrodite St. Clair, who had been assigned to be Lily's assistant as an ironic twist of fate. 

  "I have no earthly idea. I sent her up to Dumbledore an hour ago." Aphrodite replied coolly. 

  Lily's head snapped around and her eyes narrowed. "I believe you still forget our ranks, Aphrodite. I am not only Queen and Regent of Gryffindor, but I am first in James's heart. You may have my husband's balls in the palm of your hand, but that is only temporary. Because every night, he comes back to our bed, no matter what hour of the night, or who's perfume or lipstick lingers on his shirt collar, I am his wife. He chose me, because you were never good enough to stay on his arm as a representation of his family and his country."

  Aphrodite snorted, but lowered her disrespectful glance to the ground.

  "Besides, she was tracked in the library. Clever, isn't she?" Lily asked, raising one eyebrow. "Hmm, and that'll be the bearer of my grandchildren right there…"

  Aphrodite bit her tongue so hard it began to bleed.

  Reggie and Ginger went straight to Libby's side, leading her away from Professor Greenbaum and behind a changing stall where there was already a complete ensemble waiting, consisting of a strapless black satin top that flared beyond her waist and long, sweeping ecru skirt with black lace overlay.

  "Her Majesty is holding court in the Great Hall for charity. Tickets are being sold and offered to Hogwarts students for a lower rate. We shall represent our duchies and also read a bit of our speeches for the Royalty: Our Youth At Large debates next month." Reggie explained as Ginger helped her into the dress.

  She tugged the top upwards, uncomfortable with the amount of skin  she was showing. Reggie fixed a very elegant chain around her neck with two clear vials hanging on it. "Dear Lord, who picked this out?"

  Ginger rolled her eyes and pushed her in front of the mirror and Libby couldn't believe how demurely exotic she looked. Ginger ran her wand Libby's hair, straightening it. "Now go meet Her Majesty. She was asking especially for you."

  "Oh, great." Libby murmured, yanking on her heels. "Wonder what I did this time."

   The two headstrong beauties just stared at each other. Both were sitting up straight in comfortable, elegant chairs, and dressed in some of the most expensive and beautiful clothes money could buy. And both, extremely intelligent with a giant repertoire of information, didn't say a word.

  "Summon my son." Lily demanded quietly after what seemed like ages, and Aphrodite paused, before stepping out of the room. Libby slid her books from her lap next to her chair.

  Lily went back to her papers, and Libby just sat there, perplexed. Why on earth would this woman, her only suspect of the dimensional swap, want to get rid of the son she raised and the girl she connected him to? Were they truly that horrible before? Had they no discipline? Had the royal life spoiled them in a way the _primo_ life never had?

  "Yes…" Harry began, and Libby turned around, mouthing his 'line'. "Mother?"

  Lily motioned for him to come over, and he stooped to kiss her on both cheeks. "Bueno, bueno. Now _Bella_." Lily instructed, shooing him towards Libby. 

  He kissed her on both cheeks as well, leaving red on them before sitting in the seat not too far from her own.

  "Good to know you pair are remembering something." Lily snarled before finishing arranging the packet of papers she had been working on. "Aphrodite, tell Dumbledore I wish to see him before we have our court session tomorrow."

  Aphrodite, again, took a moment before exiting.

  "Crazy bitch." Lily muttered upon Aphrodite's rude departure. "Now, getting to the point… Hell, there is no point. Just very happy to see you two are behaving."

  She looked at them quizzically, and wasn't quite sure if Libby had figured it out yet.

  "I believe the papers you were supposed to present to Parliament are done, correct?" Lily continued, grabbing some twine to wrap her papers with.

  Libby nodded, and Harry followed her example. 

  "Then you are dismissed." Lily said, finishing her bow. "Have a lovely week, Harry. You as well, Bella."

  Libby raised one eyebrow before backing out of the room. Harry followed her out and Lily began to write out her proposal.

  **_Have Libby spend a week with my son… Than give her the choice to go back._**

  She stood up and walked over to Libby's chair, eyeing the books on the floor. "How convenient."

   "What was that little ruckus in Potions all about?" Harry asked as the two walked around the lake, hands behind their backs and staring at the ground.

  "Ruckus, Harry?" Libby asked with a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes. "This prince thing sure has extended your vocabulary… To the fifties!"

  "Seriously, Libs." Harry muttered, stopping to look at her. There was a new vulnerability, a jaded sort. Wisps of her hair flew about, and he sort of wished he could reach out and touch them. She stopped and looked back at him.

  Her frown shook him from his reverie. "I've been looking into our alter egos, Libs. Our friends never like to talk about it, but the pair of us… We used to be rebellious just for the sake to piss each other off. We aren't friends, we never really were. We just lusted after one another and did horrible things when we were angry. We're not good people."

  Libby bit her lip. "_We_ are good people. _They_ aren't."

  Harry chuckled and caught up to her, slipping a warm arm around her bare shoulders. "I'm not saying I want to leave, Libs. I like it here. I've got my family, my friends, and even more friends than I had before."

  Libby's head snapped up to look at him skeptically. "Who says _I_ want to stay here? News flash, Harry, while you and I may not have gotten along in the old world, I liked it there. I didn't have to fight for my father's attention over two boys, just one. I didn't have to play the little party girl, nor the sophisticate. I don't like being in this unfamiliar situation, and I don't like that I don't have a choice after Hogwarts."

  Harry stepped back, perplexed. "Are you saying you don't want to marry me?"

  Libby swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm saying I want the option. If I'm going to marry you, I want to do it on my own terms. In a small little church in Liverpool. With our _real_ friends and Sirius and Dumbledore… Not with members of Parliament. Not with a heavy tiara on."

  Harry looked at her, blinking back tears. "If you found a way out…"

  "I'd use it, Harry." Libby murmured in an almost hoarse voice. "I'm sorry… I just can't be…"

  Libby took one look at him and couldn't finish. "I'm sorry."

  Gulping once more and focusing on the ground, she walked away.

  And Harry let her.


	15. Develop

   "She can't be missing. Lily doesn't go missing. She's a responsible, stately…"

  "Fiery, pissy…"

  "Reserved, elegant…"

  "Feisty, vengeful…"

  "Graceful, quiet…"

  "Who _are_ you talking about, James?" Sirius gave his friend an inquisitive look. "I am god-damned surprised she didn't run earlier. This has got to stop."

  James bit his lip, knowing Sirius was right. "I want it all to stop. I just… How do I apologize? How can I?"

  Sirius rolled his eyes. "Are you asking how you can swallow your big ego, dump that whore Aphrodite and beg your wife, partner, Queen and mother of your heirs to come back?"

  James nodded sheepishly. "Yes."

  "I don't have the faintest. Just do it." Sirius murmured, sweeping out of James's office.

   "Yes, mother?" Harry asked quietly as he entered the room. For the first time, she stood up to full height and Harry found it odd that she was about four inches shorter than he was. Her long red hair was held back by a bejeweled band around her head, and her clothes were made of rich, hunter green velvet and sparkling golden silk. 

  "I'm afraid you know that I have brought you and Libby here from _Primo_." She said offhandedly, staring at the spot on his arm that she was dusting off.

  "Pardon?" Harry asked, scooping his head to meet her eyes.

  Lily looked at her son, a very well-mixed version of James and herself. "Well, the little brat is good for something. She certainly knows not to voice her worries until she has them better sorted out. Sit down, Harry."

   Harry slowly sat down, a look of confusion sinking into his features. Lily sat behind her desk. "Harry, I was the one who brought you from the dimension you used to know. And you have a choice to go back. Both of you do."

  Harry held back a sigh. "I know we have a choice to go back."

  Lily stared off into the distance for a moment, then breaking her reverie. "Harry, my son, the little boy I raised, became spoiled and wild, as did Liberty Black. The loss of her mother made her rebellious and uncontrollable, and with my son beginning his teenage years and having no one else he felt he could vent against without being punished, the two started to battle. They became these unrecognizable people that I knew would destroy our country if they had the chance."

  She unhooked the clasp of her locket and opened it with an ease that had never been there before. "Take a look at these pictures."

  Harry was handed the locket and he saw a portrait of him and Libby looking unhappy, and a picture of burning Gryffindor.

  "I cried when I realized our fate. I knew that James would die young, it was part of the prophecy that came with the locket. But I didn't want the country to disintegrate because I had failed." Lily continued. "I couldn't love my son anymore. And neither could I stand seeing Libby in my place."

    "So I called upon the books of Olde Magik Sirius had just gotten me… Restored with embroidered covers. I looked at the other dimensions. In _lune_ you and Libby were all too jaded to even appreciate this world. But you and Libby in _primo_, you were grounded, you were actual people I was proud of, and you'd love it here."

  Harry gulped. "Libby doesn't. She wants to go back."

  Lily smiled painfully, as if trying to encourage him. But it changed and she sighed. "I was afraid of that. But _you_ want to stay, right?"

  Harry's eyes lit up. "I couldn't imagine leaving. I have all my friends, I have my parents, and I have a big family! It's everything I wished for as a little kid. Why would I want to leave?"

   Lily cocked her head to one side. "Maybe because the Libby you know and have gotten to like is leaving?"

  Harry nodded. "True as that may be… I really like it here."

  After a moment, Lily reached out and touched her son's hand. "Are you going to be okay?"

  Harry shook his head. "She just rejected me. She practically screamed, 'No way. No way ever, no way in hell!'." He looked up apologetically. "Sorry, ma'am. But… She wasn't going to give me… Or this world a chance. She's too suspicious. She thinks it'll all come crashing down."

  Lily smiled. "Who's to say it won't?"

  Harry snorted. "Who _is_ to say it won't? But who's to say it won't be okay?"

  Lily gripped her son's hand affectionately. "That's very wise of you, Harry. Libby just needs security, because in your world, she had none. Maybe it's up to a certain someone to convince her she has it."

  Harry looked from the edge of his mother's desk to his mother's playful green eyes and grinned sheepishly. "How long do I have?"

  "A week. You better get started, Potter. Funny, your father has a thing for stubborn women, too." Lily said, and Harry didn't catch the pain in her tone. "Go!"

  Harry smiled at his mother gratefully and excused himself.

   "Harry!" James shouted across the corridor, and Harry stopped to face his friend. "I would like to thank you."

  Harry raised one eyebrow and tried to remember what his mother had said about him and Libby in general. He couldn't quite figure it out. "For what?"

  James grinned. "For stopping that damned immaturity you and Libby were going about doing. You've given her a good example, and she seems happier than ever."

  Harry smiled, a bit proudly. He _had_ transformed a bit of Libby. Not the bit James was thinking of, but most certainly a bit. "I just led the horse to water. Never made her drink."

  James snorted. "Always the modest one, Your Highness."

  "Always, Sir Black." Harry retorted, and flashes of his alter ego's life flashed in front of his eyes. He'd have to investigate the dimensional swap side effects later. Now he just had to make this week the most perfect week in the world.

  This world, that is.

  "The Queen's farewell ball is on Friday night, the day before she leaves. See to it that the finest gowns are given to first Libby, then Ruby, Reggie, Ginger and finally Hermione." Aphrodite instructed through gritted teeth. Under her breath, she muttered something about being a professor, not an assistant. She turned to Libby, who stood on the gold and white striped platform being measured for some sort of dress.

  "Fetch the design book, will you?" Libby asked with a sickly sweet voice, then standing up properly, her eyes void of… Anything.

  Aphrodite continued muttering as she fetched the leather-bound book, but her eyes lit up when she saw her true love  walk through the door of the dress shop somewhat distractedly.

  Libby stepped down from the platform and began flipping through the book. "No, too sultry. Nah, too… Hermione. No offense, Herm."

  "None taken." The bookworm said, not looking up from her fashion magazine.

  "What about this…" Libby looked up to ask Ruby, but Ruby was in a kneeling position… A bow. Libby promptly shut her mouth and followed Ruby's example, and suddenly, the ruckus the Queen had been complaining of stopped.

  "Your Majesty?" Professor Greenbaum asked softly of the Queen, who was busy signing checks. She took the glass platter out of his hands distractedly and stood up straight, still eyeing the checks.

  "What now, Sebastian?" She asked, not looking up.

  A man cleared his throat and Lily looked up.

  She dropped the platter in shock with a little squeak and it crashed on the floor.

  "James." Lily murmured dreamily. Sure, she had seen him two days before. But she didn't remember him looking so dashing… He had shaved and gotten his hair cut, and the suit was new. Dark gray was a good color for him. And she hadn't seen him give her that look in over five years… That look that completely convinced her that she was indeed his only love.

  "Pleasant to see you, too, my dear." He said, hanging up his hat and smiling. "Ah, Libby. Might I recommend Mr. Tonpuillair's design on page seventeen?"

  Lily looked at him, perplexed. "Darling, might I see you in the other room?"

  "I have business to handle, Princess." James soothed, going over and kissing his wife on the cheek. "But, ah, we have dinner." 

  He pinched her nose affectionately and smiled at the rest of the room. His smile faltered when his eyes rested on Aphrodite, but he nodded all the same before leaving.

  "That man." Lily muttered with what seemed like amused scolding, returning to her work. "Damn him for being so charming, and damn me for falling for it. Every single time."

   Libby's eyes rested on a beautiful design, inspired by Pierre Auguste Renoir's floral impressions. It was a masterpiece of silk chiffon in periwinkle blues, powdery purples and pinks, with soft patterns of yellow accents. The scooped neckline of the bodice featured delicate beading accented with purple-pink flowers. The skirt was flipped up on one side, revealing an under-layer of tulle and chiffon with embellishments of jeweled blue beads, sequins and flowers. A beautiful blue chiffon bow decorated the opposite side of the skirt, and there was an additional pair of matching sheer opera gloves. The model in the design had upswept dark curls accented with flowers, pearl drop earrings, a black choker with a single pearl drop charm and a pair of periwinkle t-strap sandals.

  It was indeed a classy choice. James had been mysteriously right.

  "Mark that one down, please." She murmured dreamily. She could get use to this… Beautiful gowns, diamonds, sapphires, pearls… Some only to be worn once and sold to charity. Some only to be worn once and copied over and over again. She could definitely get used to living in the lap of luxury.

  "Excellent choice, Madam. It seems as if you girls are fascinated by Monsieur Tonpuillair's blue formal designs." The lady who had been measuring her remarked. "Ah, Her Majesty requests that we have you dressed for your R.O.Y.A.L representation this afternoon. I believe, Mademoiselle, that your suit is absolutely perfect for the future Queen."

  She fetched several hangers from an open bureau. Libby was fitted into a navy pinstripe A-line skirt and a white, silky halter top with a navy fitted jacket. They fastened a diamond choker around her neck and got her into a pair of dark, sheer silk stockings and a pair of black pumps.

  "Power to the people, Libs, power to the people." Draco muttered sarcastically as she stormed out of the shop towards Hogwarts. He got up from where he was leaning on the wall and tried to keep up. "You're going to ruin those shoes, you know."

  Libby scowled, her newly straightened hair flowing out behind her. "I need to get my paper."

  "Already taken care of, Libby, love." Draco said, presenting the packet to her, neatly typed and put in book form. 

  "Oh, thank you!" Libby sighed, taking it from him and skimming it. "As future monarch of this country, I was raised in the palace, knowing all of the international affairs. Perhaps if we required all children to keep up to date with current events, as adults they'd be better prepared to make decisions based on what they know. These people need an opinion before they're thrust out into the world. Yep, sounds like a power bitch to me. Who am I debating against?" She stopped to look at him with a feigned interest.

  Draco stopped and looked at her quizzically. "Why, Harry, of course."

  Libby rolled her eyes as they both began to walk again. "We're gonna go get me a butterbeer."

  "Not before the debate, Libby, love. I managed to get someone to go out to one of the Muggle grocery stores, where they sell those bottles of Stardollars or something. Caramel, right?" Draco confirmed, pulling the bottle out from behind his back.

  "Why aren't I marrying _you_?" Libby asked gratefully, taking the bottle and continuing towards the castle.


	16. Spellbound

  "Our youth are young only once. Why should they be forced to grow up sooner just because of whatever station their parents may hold? Why do we expect young celebrities and celebrities' children to be politically correct and up to date? Why do we expect _any_ child to be on top of the news and still expect them to be innocent? Decide what you want, and update me when you figure it out." Harry finished, earning cheers from the crowd. Lily lifted her hand and the noise ceased.

  "And now, Lady Liberty Black on keeping children aware of the world." Lily announced, and she smiled as her goddaughter entered the room regally.

  "Weak argument, Potter." Libby muttered as they hugged in the traditional way.

  "I'd like to see you do better, Libs." He retorted, and Libby grinned. He was still Harry… Rather than Prince Harry.

  "Just watch me." She whispered in his ear, her breath warm. She stepped back and went to stand behind the podium facing the Queen. "Your Majesty, esteemed members of the courts and Ministries, and of course, our guests, I would not be standing before you presenting my platform had it not been for high expectations from my family and my family's friends. If we can offer children a higher form of education, than perhaps the silly little mistakes that are made by adolescents will decrease. We, the youth, can not be expected to act more mature if we are not given the resources that adults are expected to receive."

  Libby continued with a bright, confident smile. This feeling of power… This adrenaline filled her, and she had never felt so good. 

  "You really like this diplomat thing." Harry commented, catching up to here with a butterbeer in hand. "You had an excellent point."

  Libby looked at him skeptically, untucking her blouse and tossing her jacket aside. "Thanks. Though I can't say I agree with _her_."

  "No one ever said you had to." Harry replied and she shot him a look. A grin tugged at the corners of her glossed lips, however.

  "That for me?" She asked, reaching out for the bottle behind his back.

  "How'd you know?" Harry pretended to gush bashfully. Libby rolled her eyes affectionately and they sat in silence.

  "My mum wants the music at her farewell ball to be nostalgic… A bit of old pop mixed in with the classics. Swing, doo-wop, the whole nine yards. But she said I'd have to waltz…" Harry trailed off, looking to Libby expectantly.

  "And let me guess, the Dursleys were not all too happy to let their little orphan Harry learn?" She asked with a perked-up eyebrow. "Stand, Potter."

  "Always the dramatic bitch, aren't we?" Harry replied cheekily, though obeying her.

  "You're the one asking me for a favor." Libby reminded him as she stood up.

  "I never asked for a favor. I never even said I couldn't dance. I simply implied there would be… Waltzing music." Harry continued with a smirk.

  "You are damned lucky you're so pretty… Cute… Adorable… ish." Libby rambled, not meeting his eyes. She shook her head violently, her cheeks still flushed and then stared directly at him. "Okay, here's how we begin…"

   Lily's eyes lingered from the French Minister of Magic to Libby and her son on the terrace. She was repeating one, two, three over and over again, and he was looking at their feet. But Libby, she was staring dreamily at him, and as soon as she felt he was about to look up, she'd look away. As soon as Harry had gotten the hang of it, he and Libby began to fit into one another, dancing much closer than a formal waltz required. Libby had rested her cheek on his shoulder, and Harry rested his cheek on the top of her head.

  "They look peaceful, no?" The Minister asked in a fond voice. "Reminds me of me and my wife at a time."

  "Peaceful. Yeah." Lily murmured, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She closed her eyes and could remember when she and James had done that… They'd dance on his balcony, with a four-piece jazz combo playing their favorites. 

  "Princess, lovely, my precious and beautiful wife…" Someone murmured in her ear, their breath warm. Warm arms slid around her and Lily turned around, not opening her eyes.

  "Hi, James." She whispered, nuzzling her head in his sweater.

  "Hi, Lily." He replied in a soft tone.

  James looked down at his beautiful wife, a woman he had known for well over twenty years. She hadn't aged since they were twenty. She stayed the same, regal, youthful and beautiful young woman he had married, with a few more tricks up her sleeve.

  "It's over." James murmured. "I'm really sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, I was just being an insecure little fool…"

  "I know, honey, I know." Lily shushed him soothingly. "I know."

  Libby, Harry and the whole gang slouched and tugged at their ties and untucked their blouses and shirts, removing their jackets and robes and handing them to Aphrodite, Libby feeding the distraught-looking woman a snooty smirk. As they made their way down the stairs, even Ruby, the queen of extravagance, took a sharp intake of breath at the sight of the terrace and the lake.

  The terrace's stone floor had been extended for the sake of the dance floor, and a four-string quartet, along with a grand piano, a harp and a four-piece brass quartet were trying to find a proper place under the trees to play. Banners and flowers were being placed everywhere, and there were six fountains at the foot of the stairs.

  Lily swept through the crowd of moving men and waitresses, taking a sample of cake here, and a sip of wine there. She looked up. "Ah! Okay, boys, you're going to group our guests, eight to a table please. Libby, you tell the moving men where to move the fountains. Ginger, Ruby, you make sure the DJ's playlist and the orchestra's match and go with what we discussed. Hermione and Reggie, please, choose a nice china pattern. I must go attend some other business. Ladies and gentlemen…" She got the attention of all the servants. "This beautiful brunette is my goddaughter Liberty. She is in charge until I return."

  James grinned at the look of shock on his sister's face, and on the servants'. "All right, people, you heard Her Majesty. I am Sir James Black, at your service, and my sister Libby is your boss for another few hours. So get it together, people!"

  James winked as he and the other boys were led away by the Royal Social Secretary. 

  "Okay, last fountain here!" Libby said loudly, worn out. However, the rush of being in charge and doing something glamorous and productive still pumped into her blood as the seconds passed. 

  "Libs, that's not the best place to put it." James commented as he helped unroll a red carpet to cascade down the steps. "It'll be in the way of the dancing, and some of us aren't quite coordinated enough to go around it."

  Libby cocked her head to one side. "Yeah, you're right. Hmm… How about on that second landing? So that when people come from the garden and onto the stairs, they go around the lit fountain and emerge… How—debutante!"

  Libby giggled at the thought and felt warm arms encircle her abdomen. "Hi, Harry." She said in a somewhat exasperated tone, turning in his arms to face him. She blushed, and sorely wished she hadn't, placing her hands on his chest and burying her face in his sweater. "Stop smiling."

  Harry chuckled, resting his chin atop her head. "You're amusing, Libby."

  "What will people think?" She continued to ask, her voice muffled and slightly irritated.

  "Oh, how tame!" Harry said in a slightly squeaky voice, and Libby looked up at his smirking face.

  "Smart ass." She muttered.

  "Lady Black?"

  Libby turned around, though Harry kept a gentle grip on her, and smiled. "Yes, Yvonne?"

  The nervous blonde took a moment to curtsy quickly and motioned for Libby to follow her up the stairs. 

  "Harry…" Libby began, but he swept her up in his arms. "Oh, my knight in shining sweater." She muttered sarcastically, but as he nearly dropped her for a warning sign, she just tightened her grip.

  "How romantic those two… Like me and my third husband, Boris, in old country." The aging Royal Secretary commented as Harry carried her up the stairs. Libby rolled her eyes, but found the position… Somewhat comfortable.

  "It has gotten so dark, Lady Black. I doubt you'll even be able to see it. Dusk is upon us and in less than forty-eight hours, we're going to have a royal gala!" Yvonne chattered, and Libby leaned back, smiling. 

  Yvonne was right. She could barely see the beautiful, off-white fountain. But that wasn't the only thing she couldn't see.

  Why was it that when Harry became the guy she always wanted to rescue her from the lonely family life she no longer had, she had to give him up? Why did she want the life of a miserable, lonely secret daughter with boys who hated her and nothing planned for her? Did she truly want this all to end?

  "Lights!"  Yvonne shouted.

  And then it all came clear. The lights made the fountain a pinkish-golden glow, and suddenly, the fountain came closer, and closer and Libby found herself dropped in it.

  "Oh, God. She's either extremely amused or extremely pissed!" James said before doubling over himself.

  "Your Highness…" Yvonne squeaked. "Was that the best idea?"

  "I'm telling you, Harry, you're dead meat." Reggie murmured worriedly.

  Libby emerged from under the water and slowly got out, shaking herself off.

  Before lunging at him.

  "Jerk, ass, bastard!" She managed as they tumbled down the stairs with oddly huge grins.

  "Dear Merlin." Ruby whispered exasperatedly. "I preferred the peep shows, thank you. At least you had to be older than eight to enjoy it."

  Libby was giggling madly and in a mad attempt to avoid Harry, who had gotten his hands on Jell-O, ducked under the carpet at the foot of the stairs.

  Harry dove in after her and shoved the Jell-O down the back of her shirt. She giggled and shrieked as the cold and odd substance made its way to her waist. Libby groped for it and got the sticky remnants in his hair.

  For a moment, she stopped breathing. She looked into his eyes, her fingers s intertwined in his hair. She pulled him closer and gently kissed him.

  She pulled away, breathless. "Thanks, Harry."

  Libby crawled out from under the carpet, leaving Harry… Spellbound.


	17. I Hear A Symphony

   "Lily, what are these?" James called out as Lily slipped into a hunter green evening gown in her boudoir. He stood in her parlor with his hands behind his back, itching to touch the embroidered, leather-bound books that sat, open, on her desk.

  "Hmmm?" She replied, pins in her mouth and hands on the difficult hooks on the back of her dress. She sighed as she finished, beginning to add the finishing touches to her hair.

  "Olde Magik?" James continued with surprise. "I thought these were rare."  

  Lily, having sat down to adjust her shoes under her mermaid skirt, looked up in shock. "T-t-t-they are."

  She opened the door of her boudoir with a guilty slam.

  "Lovely!" James exclaimed, but returned to the book nonetheless, scanning the page. "Dimensional swaps, m'dear? Going to another Anti-Interference conference, love?"

  Lily sheepishly avoided his eyes. "Well…"

  James's eyes narrowed as he crossed the room. "Lily? Must we go into an 'I Love Lucy' sketch?"

  Lily hated it when he referred to Muggle TV. It was quite an irresistible quirk of his. She let out a snort of vulnerability, but put on her game face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

  "Lily! Are you toying with fate here?" James demanded, with a soft look in his eyes. "You know that trying to change the pass is very much frowned upon and extremely difficult!"

  Lily's pride took a blow, and anxiously, she began to defend herself. "But James, I've done it! I've made our playboy, spoiled son into the humble, intelligent and all-around great guy we've always wanted him to be! I've made Libby yearn for the better things in life, the trouble is keeping her here!"

  "Lily, we are not having this argument. You can't change fate! You make them go back this instant, from wherever they came from!" James insisted in an almost-squeaky voice.

  "Oh, but it's far more dangerous that way, don't you see? Bringing them here was hard enough, but having them leave before they've made their decision could alter everything. We could have our Harry and their Libby or their Harry and our Libby, or even two perfect strangers! As of Sunday morning, the only four people who will know what's what are you, me, and them! But we can't have an entirely different pair try to readjust!" Lily argued in an almost-pleading voice. "Oh, James, they're so close. They're so close to being us… They're so close to being better and braver than we are!"

  The Marauder curiosity in him suddenly kicked in. "What are they like?"

    Lily smirked. "They're absolutely perfect. Harry's got a humility and a romanticism about him that is beyond his years… Something you got in about seventh year. He's practical, and politically correct. Libby is feisty, but she knows right from wrong and she's ambitious, and she's got a determination to get her way. Her one weakness… Is beginning to become Harry. If Harry can give her a good argument, she'll most likely fight for his issue 'til death! They're absolutely perfect, for the country and for each other!"

  "Do they know it yet?" James asked worriedly, slipping an arm around his wife's bare shoulders.

  "Did we?" She retorted, grabbing an emerald-beaded evening bag.

  "Touché." 

  Libby sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, her eyes focused on Harry and her brother's game of chess, but not truly thinking about it. Her eyes were void of emotion, and a sinking feeling washed over her.

  She was leaving this world in another four or five hours. This world of greasy pizza before extravagant balls, this world of at least one loving family member, tons of friends and a loving Harry, versus absolutely no one and nothing. She didn't know why she was leaving, but… Somehow she felt she had to. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she closed them, letting one fall. Her chin began to quiver and she swept out of the room, unable to take it anymore, and locking the door of McGonagall's empty room behind her.

  Harry looked up a moment later to find that Libby had disappeared. Seeing as the portrait hole was closed and the girls were still all in a group near the fire, he decided to seek her out. "Ron, finish this game for me, will you?"

  "But your Great Uncle Sir Alexander always scowls at me when I make a bad move!" Ron protested of the chess set that was modeled after the royal family.

  Hermione rolled her eyes and offered to take over. "What a prat."

  Harry chuckled half-heartedly as he made his way to McGonagall's room, tucked away underneath the girls' staircase. He withdrew his wand from his pocket.

  "Alohomora." Harry murmured, opening the door ever so softly, slipping in and closing it.

  Libby looked up, her face streaked with tears. "Go away."

  "Come on, Libs. We've gone through too much for you to be this stand-offish." Harry reasoned, sitting down on McGonagall's bed next to her.

  "Whatever." She whispered, turning away with her arms crossed.

  "Mighty smooth, you know. I laid down underneath that carpet for two hours thinking about you. Of course, I'm the one who looked like a failed rapist." Harry joked, and Libby tried not to smile.

  "Stop dancing around the subject." Libby muttered accusingly, inching away from him.

  Harry looked taken aback. "Me, dancing around the subject? Libs, I can barely dance around you, yet alone this mysterious, nameless subject."

  Libby, again tried not to smile and closed her eyes, a tear dripping off of her eyelashes. "Harry," She began in a quivering voice, "I'm leaving tonight."

  Harry scooted back, his brow cinched in confusion and pain. "What?"

  Libby swallowed the lump in her throat and continued in a harsh tone, "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I already told you that I can't stay here."

  Harry took a deep breath, retorting in his own angry voice, "But that was before—I thought we—Libs, why?"

  "You know why!" She exclaimed in an upset tone, standing up and turning on her heel to face him. "I can't do this, I can't be this person whose fate is completely mapped out for her!"  
  "As opposed to what, Libs?" Harry asked in a low pitch, his eyes darkening as he stood up. "Having no plans for the future at all?"

  "Oh my God! That just _has_ to be your argument, huh? You want everything to be predictable and perfect! News flash, Harry, life isn't like that!" Libby shrieked, her fingers tightening into fists.

  "Don't tell me about predictable and perfect! In case you don't remember, in this other world, BOTH of my parents are dead. FIVE times, someone has tried to kill me! This is new to me, too, but I kind of like having family, friends, and… You. I don't want to go back because there's no way… We could work out." Harry said, beginning harshly, but his tone and eyes softening. "Libs, I'm not trying to have everything perfect… I'm just trying to have one thing perfect. But it seems she won't have me."

  He stepped forward, at first to hug her, but changed his mind. He took one of her loosened hands and brought it to his lips. "Bon voyage."

  With that, he left and closed the door behind himself.

  Libby's eyes, full of vulnerability and tears, could barely comprehend the empty space that had once held the only reason to go and which now formerly held the only reason to stay.

You've given me a true love  
and every day I thank you love  
For a feeling that's so new  
So inviting, so exciting

  And now he didn't want her. Of course a handsome, dashing prince, the number one most eligible bachelor in the world, wouldn't want the girl who had rejected him and instead her looser counterpart. 

 She thought all of this as she dejectedly walked up the stairs to her dormitory. The girls followed her example and Libby slipped out of her sweater and jeans and into a corset that Ginger began to lace. She held onto a bed post, compiling her thoughts.

  She jerked as the image of his smile, lighting up his eyes and the rest of his face, played in front of her. She jerked as someone fastened her choker around her neck, reminding her that he could offer her a lifestyle and riches that were more than either of them could dream of in the other world. 

Whenever you're near  
I hear a symphony  
A tender melody  
Pulling me closer  
Closer to your arms

  She smiled at the thought of their senseless arguments, and frowned at the memory of their waltzing. How close and how fitting it had felt…

Then suddenly, I hear a symphony  
Ooh, your lips are touching mine  
A feeling so divine  
'Till I leave the past behind  
I'm lost in a world  
Made for you and me

  She was in her dress, her hair was curled and pulled up, and her friends were looking at her expectantly.

"I'll go get Harry." Ruby said all of a sudden, as if just remembering.

  Libby forced a smile at her beautiful friends, dressed to the nines with wide eyes of innocent anticipation. "No, don't." She ordered gently. "We're… Meeting somewhere else."

  A fit of giggles burned through the group like a wildfire.

  "Let's go, girls." Hermione whispered.

  "See you later." Libby managed to murmur after them, sitting down with a faint, false smile on her face.

Whenever you're near  
I hear a symphony  
Play sweet and tenderly  
Every time your lips meet mine now baby

  "Lady Black." A very exotic-looking woman said approvingly. "You look lovely."

"Thank you." Libby said breathily, descending down the stairs and forcing a smile. 

  She suddenly found herself yanked into another room.

  As soon as a light came on, Libby could clearly see her redheaded godmother standing there with two books, one of Olde Magik, and the other, Lily's fifth year yearbook.

  "Come on, honey." Lily whispered in a choked voice, offering her hand.

  Libby swallowed a lump in her throat, not taking it. 

  "You haven't changed your mind, have you?" Lily asked hopefully.

  Libby slipped her bare hand into Lily's gloved one.

  Lily sighed. "Can't say I didn't offer."

  Libby let her godmother lead her away, but Harry's face kept flashing in front of her eyes. His pleading words kept repeating themselves in her head, until they were in her own voice.

Baby, baby  
You bring much joy within  
Don't let this feeling end  
Let it go on and on and on  
Now baby, baby  
Those tears that seem my eyes  
I cry not for myself  
But for those who never felt the joy we felt

  Libby and Lily stood on the outskirts of the Hogwarts' grounds, in a circular break in the grove of trees, around a well-lit fairy fountain. Lily opened her book of Olde Magik to a dog-eared page.

  "Once the person in question has made their decision, if to go back, they must have the enchanted object that brought them to the said dimension before them. Once the spell is uttered by the third party, it will take ten minutes of their dimension of origin's time for the complete transformation to be made. The object will float in front of them. However, if the object is touched by the dimensional traveler, the dimension he or she ends up in is undetermined. However, it will only be between the destination and the point of origin. Wherever they end up, they will be forced to stay. The porthole will be closed forever." Lily read in a monotone voice, though Libby swore she heard a sob in there. She looked up at Libby. "Do you understand?"

  Libby shook her head sheepishly.

  "It means that when you're traveling, if you touch the object in front of you, you might be sent back here. Forever." Lily explained in a low tone. "So keep your hands to yourself, okay?"

  Libby nodded.

  "Once the spell is uttered, the third party must leave, to avoid being sent to the other dimension as well." Lily continued, then looking up again. "I'll Apparate."

  Libby nodded as Lily handed her the yearbook.

  "Bon voyage." Lily whispered, hugging Libby tightly before withdrawing and getting her wand out.

  Libby closed her eyes, and tried to block out Lily's voice. Suddenly, she found herself floating in a tube, music playing and the yearbook the only clear thing she could see.

Whenever you're near  
I hear a symphony  
Each time you speak to me  
I hear a tender rhapsody of love now 

  Libby closed her eyes and covered her ears. "Stop it! Stop it!"

  Love songs were the last things she needed to hear at the moment. As if this decision wasn't hard enough without dumb old Motown songs playing in her ear. Why not some rocker-chick's independence proclamation or some bitter bitch's mournful cry? Why not Meredith Brooks or whiny show tunes? This was getting annoying. Why couldn't she just be the jaded, spoiled and forgotten, poor little rich girl, unloved and unwanted?

  Libby opened her eyes and let her hands fall to her sides. She knew why.

  This world was where she belonged. Where she was wanted and loved, where dumb old Motown ballads made sense, as opposed to Meredith Brooks. If she left, who knows what kind of girl would take her place at Harry's side?

  "Here goes." She murmured, slowly reaching out for the yearbook. She squeezed her eyes shut in hopes that she'd be where she should have stayed.

Baby, baby  
As you stand holding me  
Whispering how much you care  
A thousand violins fill the air  
  


   Libby opened one eye cautiously, and looked down. She was still in her expensive evening gown near the beautifully lit fountain, the yearbook in her hand. She opened it and flipped through it. The pictures of Ruby, James, Ginger… Everyone was there.

  She rolled her eyes heavenward. "Thanks."

  Harry moved from partner to partner, knowing that soon, in a sharply tailored, low-cut and harsh-colored gown, this world's Libby would appear, teasing him and every other male at the party. She'd glare, she'd whine, and she'd be his fiancée. 

  His eyes were blank as Ruby began dancing with him, murmuring worriedly about how Libby was late and wasn't he supposed to escort her here?

  "Spat." Harry muttered in reply. Ruby smirked and the music stopped temporarily in order for Aphrodite to make a completely false speech about how much she had loved working for Lily for the past few days. Harry's face was void of anything remotely similar to happy. The music began again, this time an old slow song, and he tried to make his way through the crowd towards the stairs to escape, looking at his feet.

  Libby checked herself behind a shrub, and took a deep breath before walking in front of the fountain. The music that had been playing over and over in her head began in reality. 

  Harry looked up when the chattering crowd gasped in unison and fell into silence. There, at nearly the top of the stairs, stood Libby in full stance. Not in the sharply tailored, harsh-colored and low-cut slinky dress he was supposed to expect of this Libby, and not with a teasing smirk on dark lips and a coy look in darkly-rimmed eyes. Instead, she was in a soft-colored, elegant and sweet ball gown, light pink lips and a look of sweet, final surrender in her glimmering eyes.

  "Isn't she lovely?" Someone murmured, and Harry nodded. He made his way up the stairs.

Now baby, baby  
Don't let this moment end  
Keep standing close to me  
Ooh, so close to me, baby, baby  
Baby, baby  
I hear a symphony  
A tender melody 

  He skipped up the last few steps to her side, offering his arm. 

  "Sorry I'm late." Libby whispered apologetically into his ear, and he smiled, knowing there was more she wanted to say, but felt she couldn't.

  "Sorry you had to come in without a proper escort." He replied in a gentle tone, as if saying everything was alright.

  "All forgiven." Libby murmured, in more of an inquisitive tone than a forgiving one.

  "All forgiven." He repeated firmly.

  Lily smiled from her position in James's arms. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present my son, Prince Harry James Potter, and his fiancée, the lovely Lady Liberty Isabella Black."

  Libby placed her hand in the crook of Harry's arm firmly, finalizing her place there. She finalized her place in his heart, and his in hers. And they began to walk down the stairs.

_A/N: Not the end if you don't want it to be, people! I Hear A Symphony belongs to the Supremes, Motown, Barry Gordy Jr., etc. Tell me if you want more._


	18. Fast Forward To A Few Well Five Years La...

  Godric exhaled a long chain of smoke, causing Samantha to turn her tiny cough into an overdramatic, huge cough.

  "Merlin, Godric, do you have to do that?" She muttered, reaching for her mug of hot chocolate. "You know how horrible that is for you."

  Her French-manicured fingertips appeared from under her slightly-too-big chenille sweater. "Your brother would kill you if he found out."

  "And since he won't…" Godric trailed off, flicking his cigarette butt out to sea. "That's not a problem we have to worry about."

  "You're lucky I don't know him." Sammie continued, tucking her feet under her on her deck chair. "Otherwise, I'd tell him a heartbeat."

  "You're loyal like nobody's business…" Godric said with a chuckle, leaning on the rail. "That's one of your best features. Personality wise, that is."

  He looked back at her, smirking.

  Sammie rolled her eyes, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. "You're lucky for two reasons, Godric. First, you've got your bodyguard to protect you. Second, that accent of yours is entirely too charming for me to be too mad at you."

   Godric smirked and turned his attention back out to sea. "I don't want to go home."

   "You can't stay at Aquesta forever. They won't let you." Sammie reminded him, almost patronizingly. "And I feel for you. I don't want to go back to my fantastically ostentatious palace for wild parties and girls throwing themselves at my feet."

  She rolled her eyes and took another sip of hot chocolate. 

  Their friendship was an odd one. At R.M.S. Aquesta, the American magic school that traveled on a luxury liner around the world, had a legendary cultural life and high Muggle-born population, there were five houses. The Phoenixes, the house where Sammie resided, were infamous for being beautiful, talented, clever, curious, impartial and gossipy. The Kneazles were creative, sensitive, shy, and friendly. The Ashwinders were studious, greedy, partial, and very by the book. The Lethifolds were quiet, solemn, secretive and all around moody. The Dragons were bright, bossy, egotistical, playful, extroverted, clever pranksters. The Phoenixes and the Dragons, the house where Godric resided, were infamous for not getting along too well. Being, of course, two of the cleverest houses out of three, and by far the most confident, they rubbed each other the wrong way.

  Godric almost made it to the Phoenix house, but what Sammie playfully called his damned Gryffindor roots got him placed with the Dragons. Because of Sammie's fame as a popular singer on the Air Waves, she got away with just about every social faux pas she committed. And, as the head of the sorority Hera Aphrodite pointed out, Godric Potter _was_ a prince. 

   A group of Phoenix third years walked down the deck between the space where Sammie sat and Godric brooded. They paused, observing the two for a moment, and then ran off giggling.

  Godric rolled his eyes. That silly rumor about him and Sammie had been going on since he arrived at Aquesta as a brooding, unhappy and rebellious fourth year. At the Rec, Sammie had introduced herself to Ruby, his elder sister, a seventh year who had also been put in the Phoenix house. Sammie had just been rising in the charts internationally, and Ruby had desperately needed a friend in her own house, as Ginger Weasley, her best friend who had also been transferred into Aquesta, had been placed in the Kneazle house, as the one factor that she wasn't shy didn't factor in.

  Godric had gone up and thanked Sammie for being so hospitable, unlike her housemates who viewed the princess as competition for an already hostile atmosphere, trying to pledge into the Hera Aphrodite sorority.

  "What's so special about me being nice to Ruby? In case you haven't noticed, Ruby's a great person to be around. She throws a killer party and she's also very perceptive." Sammie took a sip of hot chocolate from a flask, and turned her head to look at him. She thrust out her flask. "Want some?"

_  "No thanks." Godric muttered. She shrugged and recapped the flask. She went back to leaning against the rail._

_  "Nice night." She said after a moment. "We have a lot of those."_

_  "Yeah." Godric grunted._

_  "A monosyllabic Potter? Seems like an oxy moron. But if that's the way you want to be…" Sammie trailed off, gripping the rails and leaning back._

_  "What do you mean by that?" Godric asked, almost letting the corners of his mouth go up. _

_  "Well, the Dragons aren't the brooding type. That's the Lethifolds." She stood up again, shrugging. "But if that's the way you want to be, stay miserable while you're here. Lots of people get homesick."_

_  "I'm not homesick." Godric snapped, turning away._

_  "Then what is it?" Sammie asked, moving closer and not letting him stay with his back turned to her._

_  A friend of Sammie's passed them, looking at them suspiciously and not dignifying her greeting with a response._

_  "You know my dad's dead, right?" Godric began; not believing it was this girl of all people that he was telling this to, "Most people think that I'm all broken up because of that… I'm not. I didn't know the guy. He worshipped Harry and Ruby and of course, spoiled Jadelyn. But me and Dite, we were just there. And now Harry, who never left his crowd to say anything to me, is going to be king and I don't think it's fair that they expect me to just give up and become a part of the Ministry. That's not what I want to do."_

_  "Then don't do it."_

  It had been that simple. Sammie rolled her eyes once more and gripped her cup of hot chocolate. "I'm going to go read the tabloids in the Ritz."

  The Ritz was the not-so-affectionate term for the little café cabin on the second deck. It only had hot drinks and soup, but it was a casual place to hang out and talk about the latest culture advances, gossip and Quodpot.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her walk away. As soon as she was out of sight, he dug into his pocket for his cigarettes.

    Reese Fenton scrambled down the corridors of R.M.S. Aquesta ungracefully in an attempt to find Sammie A. Fox. She swept her sheet of wavy, Caribbean-sandy blonde hair out of her face as she made her way up to the Rec.

  "Any of you seen Sammie?" Reese demanded somewhat impatiently. Jewel Carmichael, the head of Reese and Sammie's sorority, scowled.

  "Third years said she was on the second deck with Godric Potter." Jewel sniffed. "If only she spent more time handling the pledges…"

  "Oh, shove it, Carmichael." Reese snapped in her charming Southern accent as she promptly exited the lush atmosphere of the Rec in favor for the cold air of the open second deck.

  Sammie turned the page to reveal the headline story.

  **_Prince Charming Not Charming Lady Love?_**

  Sammie rolled her eyes, not wanting to read yet another story claiming that Prince Harry and his fiancée Lady Black were done. Though it would explain the extra brooding that Godric had been doing in the past few days. She opted to read the side story about her mentor, Charity Conrad.

  Godric saw Reese Fenton, Sammie's best friend, stumble around the corner and tossed his cigarette over the edge. "Damn it."

  "Nice James Dean impression, Potter." Reese almost snarled as she passed him. Godric and Reese did not get along. "Don't worry, I won't tell Sammie you were smoking."

  "Like I care." Godric retorted loudly, but she had already disappeared into the Ritz. "Damn it."

  He dug into his pocket for another cigarette.

  "I'm going to be out before we hit shore."

  "Samantha Amanda Fox, you better sit down." Reese Fenton said, sliding into the plastic booth seat opposite her.

  "What does it look like I'm doing?" Sammie asked, lowering her tabloid. 

  "Sammie, do you remember that…rumor that people have been spreading about you and Godric since like, dog years ago?" Reese began in her usual flighty way. Most people thought Reese was just a ditz with attitude, but there was a big brain and a heart of gold underneath her Mediterranean tan and 'rich-people-party-giggle'. 

  "Hmmm… Duh!" Sammie replied, rolling her eyes again. "Let's ask some not-so-obvious questions."

  "It was semi-rhetorical, so you shut up!" Reese exclaimed defensively. "Okay, I've got worse."

  "What could be worse than Godric and me?" Sammie asked, giving her a look that meant business.

  "You and Prince Harry." Reese replied matter-of-factly.

  "WHAT?" Sammie shrieked, grabbing her tabloid and searching the article. Sure enough, a photo of her at a royal event, which _Godric_ had invited her to, was used as their proof. "I've never even met the guy!"

  "Yeah, well, that's what's going around!" Reese told her darkly. "What we know from sucking up to Godric's roommates is that indeed, Prince Harry and Lady Black _have_ broken up and they're blaming you! The tabloids, that is. I _tried_ to tell everyone that you didn't get within five feet of Prince Harry at the ONLY royal event you ever went to, but they'd rather believe that Godric was miffed that you chose his elder brother over him!"

  "Does Godric know?" Sammie asked softly after a moment.

  "To hell with whether he knows or not! At this rate, you'll be dating the Queen by the time this royal mess is over! You need to owl your publicist to clear up these rumors once and for all!" Reese demanded. 

  "Reese, I love you, but honestly. This is not a big deal." Sammie muttered, taking a sip of hot chocolate.

  "Sammie, I'd understand if this was a silly school rumor, like the Godric thing. But this is international gossip. Your reputation's at stake, and not just as Sammie Fox, the seventh year Phoenix with amazing hair. But this is you, the singer." Reese reasoned.

  "If my publicist thinks it's a problem, I'll send out an official statement. But _you_ need to be my school publicist… While I go try and explain this to Godric." Sammie whispered.

  Reese winced, but nodded. "Okay, Sammie. But I'm trusting your judgment here."

  Reese walked out of the Ritz and tapped a smoking Godric on the shoulder. "She'll be heading out soon."

  Godric gave her a questioning look with his piercing blue eyes. She motioned towards the cigarette. "Oh." He tossed it out to sea. "Thanks."

  She appraised his face, once a softened copy of his father and brother. But now, the square jaw that must have skipped a generation, and the olive undertones that were oh-so-gorgeous on his mother, along with his deep-set piercing blue eyes and blue-black hair, along with that killer body she had seen working out on the Quodpot field… They all made a pretty nice catch.

  "You're welcome." Reese replied with a smirk.


End file.
